MR vaccination drive still a tough task in some pockets

1,531 students of three schools in Keezhmadu yet to be vaccinated

Ernakulam has so far achieved 86.28% coverage.

Three schools in Keezhmadu grama panchayat, among others, had proved difficult for the district health authorities in achieving the target of 95% coverage in Measles-Rubella vaccination drive.

The district has so far achieved 86.28% coverage with a cumulative total of 5,83,352 children vaccinated till Wednesday. Vaccination drive will be on till Saturday at hospitals and outreach centres.

Crescent Public School with 435 students, Christava Mahilalayam with 646 students, and Dar Us Salam, Chalakkal, with 450 students make for the 1,531 children who are not protected from the two diseases. While several rounds of PTA meetings have been held in these schools, many parents still hold on to messages circulated by the anti-vaccine lobby.

It has been decided to conduct more camps in schools where more than 400 children are left out in the vaccine drive. However, the respective school authorities have to take initiative for the conduct of camps.

The medical officer at the Kezhmadu Public Health Centre told The Hindu that the general trend in the panchayat had been against immunisation. A few parents have followed the immunisation programme for their newborn babies. Still, many are partially immunised.

The government has extended the MR vaccination drive in most districts till the end of this week.

All children can be said to be protected only if the combined immunisation percentage is over 92%. The herd immunity of the community helps in protecting partially immunised children too.