From Tuesday, fight against measles and rubella in Mumbai | Mumbai News

MUMBAI: Five days before embarking on one of the largest campaigns to immunize children and adolescents against measles and rubella, the agencies are working to convince about 180 schools in the city to participate in the campaign. More than 4,000 schools have already agreed to allow the vaccination program, but it is mainly "elite" schools that remain concerned about the campaign, which begins on 27 November.

Vaccination aims to eliminate measles, to control rubella and therefore congenital rubella syndrome. India is responsible for 36% of measles deaths worldwide, although the vaccine to prevent infectious viral disease has an effectiveness of 85%. Rubella cases have declined, but viral disease is a major threat to pregnant women, as it can cause severe birth defects, including vision loss and mental retardation.

BMC officers said several schools have been concerned about the quality of the chip, its administration and its side effects. "The vaccine has been administered to 13 children of crore in 28 states and no case of adverse event directly related to the vaccine has been reported," said WHO Representative Dr Vivek Pardeshi. International agencies such as WHO, UNICEF, LION and Rotary partner with BMC, the state government, the Indian Academy of Pediatricians and the Indian Medical Association.

Santosh Revankar, health manager at BMC, said the vaccines would be administered with auto-disable syringes that could not be reused. About 65% of targeted children go to school.