Over the past one month, the LDF-led Kerala government has been holding a Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination drive in schools, primary health centres, and some private hospitals in the state.
The government’s attempts at combating the two diseases has, however, met with resistance from anti-vaccination campaigners, with doctors and the government trying to spread awareness on the need for the vaccination drive to reach more people.
Now, taking note of the anti-vaccination campaigns, Malayalam actor Mohanlal has appealed to the people to abandon such campaigns and get their children vaccinated against MR.
Cautioning that prevention is better than cure, Mohanlal wrote in a Facebook post:
“A disease is a helplessness that a man always dreads. Despite this, we see around us that people are inviting illness upon themselves, with their ignorance and laziness. It is not just children between the ages of 10 months and 15 years who will reap the benefits of this vaccination, but through them, it reaches the whole society. Only if these children are given vaccination at the same time, can we create a resistance and thereby alleviate the disease.”
“Why is it that in Kerala, which is on par with foreign countries in its developmental indices, the percentage of the vaccination drives conducted by the state government is just 60%?” Mohanlal questioned.
Urging people to make use of the opportunity to prevent the two diseases that are capable of causing death or severe disabilities, he added:
“Let's forget about the people who are talking against the vaccination drive without any scientific backing. Prevention is better than cure. Let misconceptions be corrected.”
Vaccination drive
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is an important cause of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine.
Measles is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Initial symptoms, which usually appear 10–12 days after infection, include high fever, runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.
Rubella, also a viral infection, is transmitted by airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or cough.
The health department in Kerala kicked off the MR vaccination drive in the first week of October, with several vaccination drives held at schools too.
Till 28 October, 44,30,854 children were administered the vaccine, covering 59% of the total children targeted for the programme. The health department had initially targeted 75 lakh children between the ages of 9 and 15.
To combat the low percentage of children who were administered the vaccine, district medical officers were asked to hold more intensive vaccination drives.
The department has extended the vaccination drive till November 18.