Pb brings experts to dispel anti-MR vaccination drive

With the misinformation campaign affecting the ambitious Measles-Rubella vaccination programme, the Punjab Government on Thursday took the help of the experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) to dispel the same.

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra, PGIMER’s Additional Professor (Pediatrics) Dr Sanjay Verma, and WHO’s Dr Srinivasan, strongly refuted the “malicious” campaign being carried out by “anti-development” forces while strongly reinforcing the positive aspects of National Measles Rubella Vaccination Campaign in Punjab.

Mohindra emphatically asserted that MR vaccination is completely safe and effective and prevents children against two deadly diseases of measles and rubella.

At the same time, he strongly condemned the “fake and false” propaganda against the campaign by anti-development forces on social media. “Around eight crore children across 14 states and UTs have been safely vaccinated with this vaccine while in Punjab, till late evening on Thursday, 14 lakh children have been administered the MR vaccine,” he said.

He said that on Thursday itself, approximately two lakh children have been immunized which reflected a strong positive trend towards acceptance of MR vaccination campaign.

Refuting all claims of anti-vaccine propaganda regarding safety, efficacy and need of vaccination, the Minister invited any person having doubts about this vaccination to come and discuss personally with the experts from institutes of global repute like PGIMER and WHO to clarify their misconceptions about this vaccine.

Dr Verma underlined the point that the prevention is better than cure and available modalities of treating infectious diseases are becoming limited due to resistance of antibiotics.

Dr Srinivasan, addressing the concerns of the journalists, said that Measles is number one killer among vaccine preventable disease with more than one lakh deaths globally of which about 30 percent happening in India alone.

Expressing sorrow and regret over the death of a child at Bathinda, Mohindra clarified that as per preliminary investigation by experts, no link could be established with MR vaccination and this unfortunate death.

“As per the doctors attending the patient, the cause of death is acute gastroenteritis with severe dehydration. Similarly, a case admitted at PGIMER has been diagnosed as GB syndrome and as per attending doctors at PGIMER, it is most unlikely to be caused by MR vaccine. Yet, the Health Department, owning moral responsibility, has extended all possible support including financial assistance for the treatment of the said child,” said Mohindra.

The Minister appealed the media to highlight the truth about the MR vaccination campaign and help in dispelling rumours and false propaganda about the campaign.

He also appealed the parents to get their children aged 9 months to 15 years vaccinated with the MR vaccine and help eliminate these two diseased from the soil of India. He also appealed the teaching fraternity to proactively participate in the campaign and sensitize parents about the virtues of this MR campaign.