THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just a day remaining for the Measles-Rubella vaccination drive to end in the state, the district is not too far behind the target. With about 88.35 per cent of children between nine months and 15 years vaccinated till Thursday, Thiruvananthapuram can boast of being among the districts where the drive has been a tremendous success.
Having started out on October 3, the vaccination drive was scheduled to conclude on November 3. However, the date was extended to November 18 in the state to achieve the target 100 per cent.
Stating there was a good response for the campaign right from the beginning in the district, District Medical Officer Preetha P P said they were optimistic of achieving 90 to 95 per cent target.
Unlike the northern districts, the capital district did not face much resistance from the parents. There were some pockets which witnessed restrictions. Even after an intensive campaign, the parents here had not changed their mindset. However, in some places, parents who had first resisted the vaccine initially came forward to get their children vaccinated.
“Even now, there are some pockets in Beemapally, Poonthura, Varkala, Vellanad and Balaramapuram where a few children have to be vaccinated,” she said. Noting that directions were given to programme officers last week itself to concentrate on places where the achievement was below 70 per cent, Preetha hoped the parents who had shown resistance to the drive earlier might have been convinced over the past weeks’ initiatives.
“All the programme officers are now active and are trying their maximum to achieve the 100 per cent target,” she said.
With only a day to go, she said officers will visit the schools again to check for any children left out. They will also be visiting anganwadis and health workers have been asked to do a routine check of the households, she said.
In the first stage, school students were targeted. Once this was carried out to a large extent, health workers visited the anganwadis and play schools. In the last stage, children who were left out (those who do not attend school) were vaccinated.
“All the officials have put great energy into the campaign. In most schools, the PTA as well as the nodal teachers, along with the principals, had extensively campaigned for the MR vaccine drive. They were instrumental in giving awareness to the parents on the importance of administering the vaccine to their children. The Education Department, local bodies and CBSE and ICSE managements have all extended full support to the campaign,” Preetha said.
The MR vaccination drive is part of a nationwide campaign aimed at eliminating measles and controlling rubella by 2020.
Drive to eradicate
Thiruvananthapuram is one of the districts in the state where the drive a success
Date of the drive conclusion extended to November 18
In the first stage, school students were vaccinated; later, health workers visited anganwadis and play schools; in the final stage, children who were left out were administered the vaccine
The drive is part of a nationwide campaign to eliminate measles and rubella by 2020