Mysuru: The three-week long Anti-Measles and Rubella Vaccination campaign kick started in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar district. However, panic-stricken parents were seen rushing to the schools of their children after rumours of death and few children falling sick after being administered with the vaccine spread.
In many places across Mysuru and Chamarajanagar, parents were seen taking their children away from school in a bid to avoid the vaccine for the diseases. The clarifications from the health authorities that no untoward incidents had taken place post-vaccination fell on deaf ears.
Unconfirmed reports kept making rounds on social networking sites on Tuesday about the adverse effects of the vaccine. Some messages on whatsapp circulated in Shanthinagar, Ghosianagar, Kyathamaranahalli claimed that the vaccines administered to children differed depending on their community and caste and that the vaccine hampers the growth of the children.
Soon after seeing these messages, most of the parents in these areas refrained from sending their kids to schools. On knowing about the false messages that were making rounds, district health officer Dr Basavaraj and Dr Siraj Ahmed rushed to these pockets and tried to convince the worried parents.
The health officials held a meeting at Public Health Centre in Kyathmaranahalli for nearly an hour. Later the community members who were satisfied with the explanation given by the DHO and Dr Siraj assured to get their children medicated in a day or two. Later Dr Basavaraj along with other health officials including Dr Siraj visited few Urdu schools in the areas and briefed about importance of Anti Measles and Rubella Vaccination.
Dr Basavaraj said that confusion prevailed only in few pockets. Otherwise the vaccination drive received outstanding response. He said that across the district, there are 7, 95,788 children in the age group between 9 months to 15 years and 722 field volunteers along with 236 supervisors have been deployed for the drive.
“The three week vaccination campaign will conclude on February 28. For the first one week the vaccination drive will continue in schools while for the next two weeks it will be taken up at all hospitals, public health centres, Anganawadis and other such centres,” he said adding that awareness and training to staff members including women and child welfare and education department was conducted one and half month back.
Similarly, in Chamarajanagar, rumour of death of a child due to the vaccination took the district by storm and District Health Officer Dr K H Prasad had to plunge into action to convince the parents that it is safe to get their kids injected to ward off diseases.
Earlier the campaign and rally was flagged off of by Deputy Commissioner D Randeep at NPC Hospital, near district health office at Nazarbad. The rally passed through thorough fares of the city before culminating at Shantaveri Gopala Gowda Hospital.
