MR vaccination drive: DMO seeks collector's action against two schools

KOZHIKODE: District medical officer (DMO) has sought the collector’s intervention against two schools poor in measles-rubella (MR) vaccination. The schools have prepared consent letter, which calls for parents to allow their wards to administer vaccination in a manner such that ‘any parent would be scared after reading the letter’. One school is an unaided English-medium in Changaroth grama panchayath at Kadiyangad near Perambra where only 20 children had taken vaccination out of 190. The second is a government school in Mavoor.

“We have sought the intervention of district collector through a memorandum,” said district reproductive and child health (RCH) officer, Dr Sarala Nair. Besides, the DMO had pleaded action against Jacob Vadakkanchery and Mohanan Vaidyar on charges of anti-vaccination messages on social media. Deputy director of education was roped in at a city girls’ school with an abysmally low turnout.

Health workers from nearby primary health centre are repeatedly visiting such schools and making both teachers and parents aware of the importance of vaccination. “It is unfortunate that a few teachers still are in the dark about the significance of vaccination either knowingly or unknowingly,” said a junior health inspector who requested anonymity. As on Saturday, the fifth day of the campaign, 68,436 students had taken vaccination in the district.