Resistance to vaccination weakens in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: Welcome changes are  visible in the vaccination- resistant areas of Kozhikode after the outbreak of diphtheria. Health officials attribute this to the fear factor towards the air-borne disease, the intense campaign  launched  jointly by all the health wings,  including Homoeo and  Ayurveda,  and religious organisations coming out in support of the vaccination.

“More parents are coming forward to take vaccination and many are concerned about the issue,” said district RCH (reproductive and child health) officer, Dr Sarala Nair. In Kozhikode, there are more than 6,000 non-immunised/partially immunised children under the age of five as on July 1. Areas such as Vanimel, Valayam, Nadapuram, Kuttiady, Koduvally, Punoor, Cheruvady and Thiruvallur are notorious for resistance.

“People are visiting health centres saying that  they do not remember whether they had taken the vaccination in their childhood. Adults can take vaccine at any time provided they have  not  taken it in the past one month,” said Arun Kumar, a health inspector  at  Vadakara.  The PTA meeting in many schools had discussed the issue in detail and resolved  that all students should be vaccinated.

The open support of religious organisations such as Jamaat-e-Islami too has borne fruit. “The advocacy of religious organisations has  convinced  parents who hitherto were  confused between the opinions of modern medicine and a few naturopaths,” said a Jammat leader.  

The district health officials had chalked out an action programme consisting  of forming diphtheria eradication committees in all local self- government institutions, convening PTA meetings  in schools and collating ward-level data of non-immunised among others.