Despite having best of the medical facilities, presence of senior officials of health department and supposedly high public awareness, the provisional State capital Dehradun and Haridwar are proving to be major impediment in the success of Measles Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in Uttarakhand.
In Haridwar district a meager 17.27 per cent of the targeted children have been so far vaccinated while in Dehradun district this figure is only 34.5. In comparison, the mountainous districts with very limited facilities are performing exceptionally well. In Almora 95.41 per cent of the targeted children have been vaccinated while 89.10 and 86.03 per cent children in Bageshwar and Chamoli district have received the MR vaccine.
It is learnt that the department is planning to extend the campaign due to less than desired level of success till date.
The ongoing mission Indradhanush which is a comprehensive vaccination programme in Haridwar district is being cited as the reason for the low MR vaccination. While in Dehradun the strike by the Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) workers has hit the campaign hard. In the initial phase many private schools in Dehradun also refused to allow the vaccination workers into their premises. In the provisional state capital there are about 250 ANM workers and their non cooperation is showing its effect on the campaign. The ANMs are demanding implementation of Assured Career Progression (ACP).
When contacted the state immunisation officer, Dr Bharati Rana said that MR campaign remained suspended in Haridwar due to Mission Indradhanush and it would start from coming week. She accepted that the strike by the ANM workers has affected the campaign in Dehradun. Dr Rana however exuded confidence that the campaign would be a complete success in all parts of the state.
A massive Measles Rubella (RC) vaccination campaign was launched in Uttarakhand on October 30. The campaign aims to vaccinate 2,835,658 children in 13 districts of the State.
Children will be given a single shot of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine during the campaign. Following the campaign, MR vaccine will become a part of routine immunisation and will replace measles vaccine, currently given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child. Out of the targeted children 1416710 have been vaccinated which account for about 50 percent of the target.
Rubella is commonly referred to as German measles is a mild infection, but can have serious consequences if it occurs in pregnant women.
The new MR vaccine also protects against measles, a major killer of small children. Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing. India accounts for 36 percent of the measles death globally. Those who survive are more vulnerable to its complications such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.