New Delhi: In a bid to counter misleading claims about the efficacy of recently-launched Measles Rubella vaccine, the Union health ministry has roped in religious leaders and is using social media to clear the air.
With several WhatsApp and Youtube “reports” denouncing the ministry’s immunisation drive as “a conspiracy to control Muslim population” and questioning the efficacy of the vaccine, health ministry officials belonging to minority communities have been asked to circulate their own videos dispelling the doubts.
Terming it as “crisis response”, additional secretary in the health ministry said they have taken on board religious leaders and are also going to ask experts to put forth their opinion to turn away the “mischief mongers”. “We have asked the religious leaders to motivate people into using the vaccine during their Friday prayers. We are going to tell people — you have a choice, either to believe somebody who is talking like that (spreading rumours) or somebody else who is talking facts.”
As part of the drive, short videos made during vaccination campaign where children and mothers gave their testimonials are being circulated on social media.
The counter videos from people, mothers, children and fathers, have also been circulated. “We came up with these ideas immediately after rumours began circulating on social media,” Vandana Gurnani, joint secretary, health ministry, said.
Introduced earlier this month, the vaccine was launched in five states and UTs — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Puducherry and Lakshadweep. The health ministry Friday convened a meeting of an expert advisory group, including those from India and abroad, to recommend strategies so as to end the killer disease by 2020.
An estimated 2 lakh cases of measles are reported every year with 48,000 children dying due to the killer infection, which affects “the congnitive development”.
To protect the brain power we have to contain both measles and rubella,” said T Jacob John, chairman child health foundation and one of the members of the expert group.
