April 25 will be observed as the World Immunisation Day to prevent certain serious diseases affecting children. The immunisation programme is enforced in West Bengal and part of northeast Odisha as a special drive to eradicate the diseases which affect the children since their birth. These two States have been identified as prone to such diseases children mainly suffer from. If the mission launched in these two States gets successful, it will be subsequently extended to other States.
The Central scheme has been named as Indradhanu because the Indradhanu has seven colours and this drive of vaccination will be applicable for seven preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and Hepatitis B. The rainbow immunisation programme has also been launched in tribal dominated areas of Koraput district where 4,000 children right from age 0 to 2 will be included in this vaccination drive. The district hospital will provide the medicines and the vaccinators will move from door to door for immunising the children.
The children of tribal and scheduled castes populated areas are mostly the victims of these diseases because the people of these areas are financially as well as educationally very poor which force them to maintain their livelihood in a precarious State. They cannot afford for proper food and dress let alone buy medicines. They also live in most unhealthy areas where water is mostly polluted and the environment is unhygienic. The children of these areas mostly suffer from rickets, which is the main cause of several ailments. If we critically analyse each rainbow disease it will be seen that nothing but polluted environment and unhealthy social life of people are responsible for such diseases.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) along with other organisations formulates strategies to provide the services that will promote long and healthy life of people. The strategy includes (i) complete immunisation of all children (2) reduction of under-five mortality (3) elimination of severe malnutrition and universal access to soft water. Especially, the tribal populated area and the coastal swamps populated zones are most affected by malnutrition.
Diphtheria: Diphtheria is more a common disease than polio and other contagious diseases. The mortality rate is very high and so also the illness is very distressing. Extreme care is necessary for the people engaged for treatment of patients as this is highly contagious. Immunisation is advisable for prevention of the disease.
Pertussis (whooping cough): This is a childhood disease caused by bacteria called H. pertussis and it gets into respiratory system and causes edema and circle in the throat. It is most painful disease. Nose bleeding is very common. Cough of the diseased child spreads the disease. Vaccination is advisable as a preventive measure. This is a common disease in rural area.
Tetanus: Tetanus germs thrive within very little amount of oxygen and can easily enter into human body through deep wounds. The deep wounds are most vulnerable for aggravating the disease. So the vaccination is advised by medical experts. As advised by medical experts every cut and wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and water and should be rinsed by hydrogen - peroxide. In rural areas due to illiteracy and unhygienic conditions, the mortalities are high. In tribal areas the children and even the elder people die helplessly. Poor medical service is attributed to high mortality rate due to tetanus in villages and hilly regions.
Tuberculosis: The very name of the disease signifies the formation of tubercles or nodes in the lungs or any other affected parts of human or animal bodies. The disease is caused by a germ or bacillus. This bacillus is an organism which can grow in any part of the animal body. The symptom the patient is tiredness. There may be loss of weight and slight fever. The cough develops for a longer period. The germs of tuberculosis spread through air we breathe into lungs.
The germs also enter into our body through food we eat. Many animals also have tuberculosis. Consumption of their milk or flesh also leads to such disease. So, unsterilised milk should not be used. The polluted air, water and food are the agencies of tuberculosis and other lungs disorders. The poor people in rural and industrial area are mostly affected by the disease. Proper and scientific treatment can cure the disease.
Hepatitis B or jaundice: This disease explains the situation of bile in the blood due to obstruction of flow of bile from liver. When the flow of bile increases in the blood stream, eyes and skin grow yellow. The liver is damaged due to such physiological action, which brings the end of the patient. This is a water-borne disease. There is a virus, which causes the disease.
Drinking water should be free from contamination at any cost. The excreta of diseased persons spreads the disease as well. Open defecation is always dangerous as it helps the hepatitis -B virus to spread. If we consider the case of capital city of Bhubaneswar, polluted water is supplied for daily consumption without proper sterilization for human use. This could be highly risky.
Polio: It is a pretty old disease and mostly affects children without consideration of rich or poor healthy or weak. Well fed or under fed, it is often seen that the polio patients are crippled. The use of polio vaccine protects children from such disease.
Measles: Measles is a contagious disease, which generally is neglected by the guardians of the children but the disease is very dangerous. It spreads very rapidly. The measles is mostly followed by pneumonia and brain fever. So the children should be well protected from the disease. Vaccination for measles has now developed.
life is most valuable possession of man and next important is health. An unhealthy and sick man becomes a burden on others and on the society. Building a sustainable society always gives emphasis on improving quality of human life. The aim of development is to improve the quality of human life. It is a process that enables human beings to realise their potentialities and build self confidence.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)