BHUBANESWAR: All schools, including private institutions in 13 districts of the State have been directed to bring to the notice of State Government if any parent has an objection to the vaccination of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) on any valid ground.Secretary of School and Mass Education Department PK Mohapatra has asked collectors of Balasore, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kendrapara, Puri, Koraput, Nabarangapur, Rayagada, Sundargarh, Khurda and Sonepur districts to monitor the vaccination drive.
“School authorities will bring to the notice of the department if any parent has an objection on any valid ground and there is no need to administer vaccines to such children whose parents objects to it in writing. The district chiefs have been asked to take up the matter personally and ensure that all schools in their areas cooperate with the vaccination drive,” Mohapatra said.The direction came in the wake of complaints against some private schools which are not cooperating with the vaccination exercise and insisting on parent consent for immunisation of their children.
Stating that JE vaccination is a public health necessity, Mohapatra said, it is essential for the community to develop herd immunity against the deadly disease. As it is a public health measure being undertaken across the nation, specific consent of parents is not required, he clarified.The School and Mass Education Secretary, however, insisted that the information on JE vaccination campaign should be communicated to the parents before their children are immunised.
Collectors apart, Commissioners of Municipal Corporations in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur have also been instructed to make the vaccination drive, which will continue till December 17, successful. While 242 children were affected in JE and 42 among them had succumbed to the deadly disease last year, so far no casualty has been reported though 65 have been affected this year.
The vaccination campaign has been taken up by the Government in a massive scale since November 27 with the intention for averting spread of communication disease and prevent JE endemicity.
The JE vaccine is well maintained in cold chain from the manufacturer till it is administered to the beneficiary to preserve the potency and one auto-disposable syringe is used for each child. It will provide immunity to children against the fatal disease. As many as 72 lakh children in the age group of one to 15 are expected to be vaccinated during the 21-day campaign. Last year, 17.86 lakh children in Malkangiri, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts were administered the JE vaccine.