The recent instances of unauthorised vaccinations in the city have brought to the fore the need to ensure safe vaccinations either under the supervision of doctors or by trained paramedical staff, said District Medical Health Officer J. Sarojini and Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) president R. Atcham Naidu and secretary Rambabu.
The tricksters, who were arrested recently in the city for administering vaccines, had no clue on the dosage to be given and to manage complications, if any.
They were carrying the vaccines in unsafe boxes. The vaccine would not have any effect, if the cold chain maintenance (between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius) was not ensured by keeping it an ice-box or cold storage till it was administered, the DMHO and IAP representatives told the media at an awareness meeting here on Tuesday.
The dosage has to be decided by a doctor or trained persons such as ANM s depending on the age of the baby. The unscrupulous vaccinators were giving Hepatitis B, typhoid vaccine instead of swine flu vaccine. They were making people believe that the vaccine was being given at a low cost and in the comfort of their homes eliminating the need to visit a hospital with the baby.
IAP joint secretary Kasi said the Union Government recently introduced vaccines for six preventable diseases and very objective of the programme would be defeated, when unauthorised vaccinators enter the scene to make a fast buck.
Swine flu Nodal Officer L. Kalyan Prasad said vaccines were available free of cost at government hospitals and there was no cause for panic.
Replying to a question, the DMHO said the vaccine samples seized from the unauthorised vaccinators were sent for testing.
