Doubting Thomases muck up campaign in Malappuram

KOZHIKODE: The rift among scholars, political parties and Muslim youth over the stand to be taken against vaccination has robbed the pro-vaccination campaign by various groups in Malappuram of its enthusiasm. IUML Malappuram district committee has already kick-started the pro-vaccination campaign against the backdrop of the alarming rise of diphtheria cases.

It is to be recalled that two children died and eight others were hospitalized due to diphtheria in the district during the last few weeks. Among the cases, nine were from Malappuram district. It is a fact that local clerics and religious personalities influence common people  against taking vaccines.

In fact also, many religious orphanages did not allow health workers to administer vaccines. The Samastha Kerala Jamiyyatul Ulema (EK Sunni faction) though close to the IUML has turned a rough face to the campaign. Asserting his stand, All India Islahi Movement General Secretary Hussein Madavoor told DC that it was tough for religious groups to comment on the issue.

“We are not medical experts but religious scholars. The problem is the existing rift between various healthcare streams over the issue. Apart from Allopathic doctors, experts of all other streams including Homeo, Unani and Naturopathy, recognized by the Ayush department of the central government, are against vaccination. They also engage in campaigns against vaccination. First let the medical fraternity take a unanimous stand”, he added.

Muslim Youth League secretary P.K. Firoz told DC that if religious organizations joined the pro-vaccination campaign it would ensure that the numbers of those vaccinated would go up. “There are some youth who think that campaigning against vaccination is a revolutionary activity and some rebel elements also abet it”, he added.

IUML is all set to discuss the issue at the state-level meeting which is scheduled for next week. IUML leader Kutti Ahmed Kutti told DC that widespread opposition against vaccination was a fact. There were allegations that many followers of the AP Sunni faction headed by Kanthapuram AP Abubacker Muzaliyar were in the forefront of the campaign. But most of the leaders of the AP faction dismissed the allegation.