KOZHIKODE: The district medical office is gearing up to increase the rate of immunisation in Nadapuram area including Valayam, Kuttiyadi and Chekyad blocks. The special drive is being held after three diphtheria cases were reported from here recently. All religious personnel, political-cultural leaders, social clubs and other notable personalities of the region have been urged to help support the drive. Health workers say that close to 1,000 people have not taken any kind of immunisation at Nadapuram.
“Nadapuram has been a target area to us for long. The special focus we gave had given better result las time and we are hoping for good immunisation coverage this time also,” said District Reproductive Child Health (RCH) officer Dr. Sarala Nair. According to figures, 35 children in the 1-5 age category had not taken any king of vaccination. In pulse polio immunisation, Valayam and Kuttiyadi continue to remain resistive with a vaccination rate of 64.5 per cent and 67.5 per cent respectively, the least in the district.
“A four-day medical board will be held at Nadapuram Indoor stadium next week. Along with the camp for differently abled, the board would finalise the draft for the special drive,” said Dr Geetha Gurudas, Superintendent of Nadapuram Government hospital. According to sources, superstitious religious beliefs coupled with the false propaganda of few self declared naturopaths are keeping off parents in these areas.
“When the health team visits the houses, the elders are showing printed articles of these naturopaths calling for boycotting immunization programmes,” said a health staff. The fake and half-truth campaigns in the form of audio messages circulating in social media have also an effect in the region. Exaggerated incidents are being propagated against vaccination.
