: The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) has offered quick aid of Rs. 37 lakh for an immunisation awareness drive in the district. The Unicef support comes in the wake of the recent incidence of diphtheria in the district, which afflicted 27 people, including adults, and took the lives of two children.
Additional Director of Health Services Sunil Kumar said the Unicef aid would be utilised to create awareness among madrassa teachers and people who would be able to influence those who are resisting immunisation.
Intensive awareness campaigns will be conducted in the next three weeks in eight blocks, focusing on more than 1,300 madrasas and
schools. Training will be given to Asha workers.
N.S. Iyer, Unicef consultant, said the U.N. body would give logistical and mobility support to the intensive surveillance planned in Kondotty, Vettom, Valavannur, Neduva, Omanur, Mankada, Vengara and Kuttippuram blocks.
“Public awareness is the best means of reaching out to the entire population. Resistance by some sections to vaccination will disappear gradually,” said Dr. Iyer, adding that vast changes had already taken place in immunisation in the district.
District Medical Officer (DMO) V. Ummer Farook said children between 10 and 15 years in all schools in the eight blocks would be given TD (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine. “We need 2.32 lakh vaccines to reach out to all children in that group,” said Dr. Farook.
Efforts are on to bring all systems of medicines, including homoeopathy and naturopathy, on a platform to support immunisation.
Practitioners of different streams under the government system have already pledged their support. Private practitioners too will be roped in soon.
The Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad, and several Muslim organisations have agreed to join the campaign for immunisation. K. Binub, coordinator of the Mission Mukti, said persistent efforts were being made to destroy the anti-vaccine bulwarks in the district.
The IMA will hold a meeting with politicians and social workers on immunisation here on Thursday.
