Except for a few unwarranted incidents, Measles and Rubella vaccination drive began smoothly in six districts of Hyderabad Karnataka region on Tuesday. Health activists associated with Health and Family Welfare Department, equipped with vaccination kits, were found visiting schools and administering the vaccines across the region.
The vaccination was suspended for a brief period in one of the private schools in Yadgir town after a girl complained of sweating and giddiness soon after she was vaccinated. The health professionals on the spot treated her. As the news spread, panic-stricken parents rushed to the schools and demanded to stop thedrive. However, doctors who treated the girl and officials from Education Department convinced the public and resumed the drive. Earlier, Deputy Commissioner,Khushboo Goel Chowdhary inaugurated the drive at the Model Government Primary School, Station Bazar, in Yadgir. District Health Officer Diwakar Malage said that a target of covering 4.46 children has been set.
In Jewargi taluk, Kalaburagi district, six children from four schools complained of giddiness soon after they were administered the vaccine. However, paediatricians examined the children and certified that they were perfectly all right.
“We have not faced any problem so far except for six children complaining of giddiness in Jewargi taluk. Hope we reach the target of vaccinating 8.89 lakh children in Kalaburagi district,” Dr. Sajjan Shetty, District Health and Family Welfare Officer, told The Hindu.
Bidar District Health and Family Welfare Officer M.A. Jabbar said that the staff involved in the vaccination drive got full cooperation from the public across the district. “There was no resistance even in areas with low awareness about health,” he said. Officials have set a target of covering 5.24 lakh children in the age bracket of nine months to 15 years across the district.
An estimated 10% of the 7.42 lakh and 4.27 lakh children in Ballari and Koppal districts respectively were immunised on the first day.
H. Ramakrishna and Ramesh Babu, District Health and Family Welfare Officers of Koppal and Ballari respectively, clarified that there were no reports of major side-effects on children after vaccination.
No complaints were reported in Raichur district where a target of immunising 6.57 lakh children has been set.