Within three days of the measles and rubella vaccination campaign, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has covered five per cent of the children target group across the city. According to the BMC's public health department officials, they will be completing the target within six weeks.
While there has been a fear in the mind of parents about the side effects of the vaccine, the civic body has said that the vaccine is not harmful and they will be creating awareness if they needed to.
"We haven't yet got any complains from a particular school. If needed, we will be creating awareness and clearing the doubts of the parents through WhatsApp groups and during the vaccination as well. There is no case of side effect due to the vaccine. Parents should not fear and should help to eliminate measles and control rubella and congenital rubella syndrome by the year 2020," said Dr Santosh Revankar, joint executive health officer, BMC's public health department,
While the campaign was started in Mumbai on November 27, out of the total 29,90,900 children target group, within three days 1,62,235 children have been vaccinated in 465 schools across the city.
Speaking about the availability of the vaccine with private paediatrics, Dr Revankar, added, "So far only the government is providing the vaccine. There are no private doctors involved in the campaign in the city. In future, if we need help, we might think of the possibility to tie up with them to reach out as many schools as possible