When we know how to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases but fail to act and let a child develop disease or succumb to it, we are guilty of dereliction of duty. Full immunisation is the birthright of every child, rural or urban, poor or rich,” said Emeritus Professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore T Jacob John here on Saturday.
Speaking at a panel discussion on “Immunisation for all: Improving the health of children” as part of the annual event IDEATE 16 organised by the Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation (BIF) in collaboration with the Global Health Strategies, Prof Jacob said the State has a stake in child health. People’s health is the State’s responsibility. But after the British left India, public healthcare has been neglected.
BIF trustee and CEO Shaifalika Panda said, “Immunisation is one of the most cost-effective child survival interventions. IDEATE 2016 is our continued commitment to increase awareness levels of child services in Odisha with an aim to reduce the child mortality rate.”
Additional Director Child Health, State Expanded Programme of Immunisation Hemanta Kumar Mishra said they are facing lot of problems in the immunisation drive both in the urban and rural areas. Many people are ignorant of the vaccine site. Good quality vaccines are available in the public health sector, but due to lack of information many people spend `5,000 in three months for immunisation. Voluntary turnouts are not good in rural areas. The media can play a major role in creating awareness in this regard.
Gram Vikash founder Joe Madiath said tribal lives are discounted. Most of the time, health statistics are fudged; there is a requirement of more honesty and transparency in the reporting system. Those who protest are called rabble-rousers.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation policy advisor Amir Ullah Khan said that in one and a half years, in 65 speeches of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, health has been mentioned only once and that was about former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Among others, MNCHN+ technical director A Path ad Rajiv Tandon spoke. Global Health Strategies senior director Supriya Bezbaruah presided over the meeting.