KOZHIKODE: As many as 7.6 lakh children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years in the district will be administered dosage under the measles rubella (MR) vaccination campaign to be kick-started from October 3 to 24. It would be carried out through schools, anganwadies and health centres across the district. “The headmaster in the school concerned will ensure the MR campaign in the school. All children who have taken other vaccines must take MR dosage,” said district medical officer (DMO) Dr V. Jayashree. The health department had sought the support of religious sects for a good turnout of the campaign besides the backing of education and social justice department.
“A meeting to this effect had held in Vadakara recently. Political parties, clubs, NGOs and all other sections have been urged to back the programme to make it a big success,” the DMO added. The health officers had identified immunisation resistant pockets in the district such as Kuttiyadi, Valayam, Thiruvallur, Koduvally and strategies had been evolved to overcome the opposition. It is estimated that more than 40,000 children die in the country due to measles and one in 1,000 newborns succumbs or becomes disabled due to rubella. The vaccination is being carried out jointly by Centre and state governments under WHO.
