Measles-Rubella Vaccination Drive Covers 52 Percent Kids in Bihar

Officials associated with the state government’s recently launched measles-rubella vaccination campaign said 52 percent of total target has already been achieved. World Health Organization (WHO) officer for Bihar region Dr Nihar Ranjan Ray told this newspaper on Tuesday that of more than four crore children targeted under the campaign, 1.96 crore have been covered till date. The five-week campaign, launched by state health minister Mangal Pandey on January 15, is being run under the aegis of Union ministry of health and family welfare along with State Health Society. UN agencies like WHO and United Nation’s International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) are also supporting the drive. The campaign is basically for children between 9 months and 15 years of age.

Dr Ray said the team was working hard to complete the target within the stipulated deadline. “Officials of education and health department are working hard each day to make this mission successful. We are hopeful of meeting the target by the first week of March,” he said. According to sources in health department, 18,000 auxiliary nurse midwives were trained before the launch of the campaign for vaccination. At least two lakh mobilisers were also trained to create awareness among the parents and teachers about the grim reality of the disease. As per medical experts, several countries have gained immunity against measles and rubella diseases from the vaccination.

According to WHO epidemiological reports, India alone accounts for 36 percent of total measles and rubella cases in the world. According to pediatricians, the twin diseases are really dangerous as they are communicable and there is no specific cure to them except vaccination. Dr Nigam Prakash, former head of pediatrics department at Patna Medical College and Hospital, said, “Measles and rubella are air-borne communicable diseases. Pregnant women who suffer from these diseases generally deliver deaf, blind and mentally retarded babies. The diseases cause multi-system damage to the fetus in mother’s womb. In some cases, the newborn babies suffer from heart ailments and congenital rubella syndrome.” – TOI