Malappuram: As a vast population of children between 9 months and 15 years in the district remain out of the ongoing measles-rubella (MR) vaccination, collector Amit Meena has requested the government to extend the drive till December 16 from December 1. As per the latest figures available with the health department, 63.95 percent of the total targeted children got the vaccine administered in the district, which is the lowest in the state. As of Tuesday, 7.87 lakh children were vaccinated, and 4.43 lakh remain vulnerable to the highly contagious viral diseases.
The district collector also ordered the heads of the educational institutions to ensure that all the children get vaccinated under the scheme. “Vaccination form and consent letter are not mandatory to administer the vaccine to children. If parents refuse, they need to be forced to take the vaccine. The parents who reject the vaccination should also inform the district collector in a written form,” the order states.
According to the district health department, the MR vaccination in the district is going well. “The district has improved its position, and there will be better results in the coming two weeks. The delay in achieving the desired result is due to the impediments in reaching out to the comparatively highest population of the target group,” said DMO Dr K. Sakeena.
