The government and people will join hands to bring the district under total immunisation cover in three months.
A meeting convened by Health Minister K.K. Shylaja here on Monday decided to chalk out a detailed action plan in two weeks to reach out to all children in the district with vaccination.
The joint intervention by the government and community in immunisation is taking place in the wake of the resurfacing of deadly diphtheria in recent months in the district.
Four children had died and dozens of diphtheria cases reported from different parts of the district in the last several months.
Ms. Shylaja said that 10 per cent of the children in the district were still out of the immunisation cover. She said all of them would be vaccinated in the three-month intensive campaign.
“We will deploy health staff and volunteers across the district to identify the children needing vaccine. They will be vaccinated after making them aware of immunisation,” she said.
The Minister said that additional staff from neighbouring districts would be deployed in Malappuram.
Community leaders signed a joint letter of support to the government’s immunisation programme. Those who signed the letter included Indian Union Muslim League State president Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, Madin chairman Sayed Ibrahim Khaleel Bukhari, Mujahid leader C.P. Ummer Sullami and Fr. Sebastian Karakatt. The minister said that the support of religious leaders would go a long way in the success of the immunisation drive.
