Mumbai gets first yellow fever vaccination centre

The ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) has started a yellow fever vaccination centre in Mumbai to ensure quarantine and check-up of passengers flying from India to Africa and South America where the disease has assumed endemic proportions. The move comes after two Sudanese nationals three days ago triggered panic at Chennai airport due to “yellow fever” printed on their passports.

Started at family welfare training and research centre of Khetwadi, the vaccination centre will immunise passengers and restrict possible spread of the disease. “Each and every traveller visiting disease-prone countries needs to be immunised by administering Yellow Fever vaccination (YFV) in advance. The centre will fulfil the need,” said special director general health services for MOHFW, Government of India, Dr B.D. Athani, while talking about the centre. On Friday, the centre was unveiled and the first passenger was vaccinated. Yellow fever cards were also released and will be provided at the centre.

Director, state health services, Dr Mohan Jadhav, and executive health officer, Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Dr Padmaja Keskar, visited the centre and said it was the need of the hour, considering the spread of the disease to most countries of the world. “The efforts of MoHFW can be considered as a new milestone and we will provide all the necessary support to the centre in future,” said Dr Keskar.

Prof Dr Deepak Raut, director, FWTRC, stressed the importance of the centre saying, “There was a need to start another yellow fever vaccination centre as there is huge demand for YFV in Mumbai. We will carry out all necessary efforts to provide quality immunisation services to passengers,” he said.

Experts said that the number of travellers to yellow fever endemic countries has been increasing day by day which is why there is crying need for more yellow fever vaccination centres. At present, the YFV facility will be provided every Wednesday and Friday between 2 and 4 pm.