Social media myths' disrupt fight against Measles Rubella vaccine

New Delhi: The same mix of fear and mistrust is back with the launch of Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine. Days after the government launched the MR vaccine, it is busy dispelling myths about the vaccine.

The Muslim dominated districts — just as they were wary of the polio drops, are anxious this time too with the opponents claiming that the harm due to vaccine is greater than the benefit.

The rumour that vaccines are an instrument used by the government to shrink muslim community started circulating in no time, the result is that people are skipping the government sponsored vaccination drive and the campaign has not reached as many children as it was intended for.

Early February, India had launched one of world’s largest vaccination campaign against measles — a major childhood killer disease, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS)  in five states and UTs including  Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Puducherry and Lakshadweep.

Dr Asma Zehra, working committee member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board blames “trust” deficit between the government and the muslims for the situation.

“The problem is parents are not taken on board before the vaccine was introduced. There was no proper information given to the parents about the vaccine, so why would they get their children vaccinated,” she asked.

Dr Zehra said that in a free country, vacicne should be a matter of choice. “Vaccine is a matter of choice. India is a free country, the government should not be imposing it. There has to be certain channel and procedure. You just cannot start vaccinating children abruptly,” she added.

The resistance is experienced in all muslim dominated districts and states. But then campaigns like “Mashaaalah I am a brave kid, I got vaccinated” that was started in Karnataka is finally yielding results.

This is however not the first time that muslims are refusing vaccination, calling the recent drive a conspiracy of the government to control their population, during the polio menace too, the muslim clerics had to be involved to clear the air.

Around 2 lakh cases of measles are reproted every year with 48,000 children dying due to the killer infection. It affects the congnitive development. To protect the brain power we have to contain both measles and rubella.