A workshop for the media persons was organized today by the Medical Department on Measles Vaccination Phase III.

The event was attended by the media personnel from Udaipur, Pratapgarh, Chittorgarh, Banswara and Rajsamand under the chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioner, Subodh Agrawal.

Additional Divisional Commissioner, Pragya Kewalramani; Joint Director (Medical) Zone, Udaipur Division, Dr. Achal Kumar Mahrish were also present on the occasion, at the Divisional Commissioner Conference Room.

The workshop had been organized for the media community, to eventually spread awareness among the tribal mass so that measles can be eradicated like small pox, which has been eradicated from the world and the last case of small pox was registered in 1977 in Africa.

Dr. Ramesh Sharma, Child Health Officer of the District, told that, “This is the IIIrd Phase of the vaccination program”.

Phase- I was done within the 5 districts of Ajmer Division in December 2010, its IInd Phase had been accomplished in the 5 districts of Bharatpur, Dhaulpur, Dausa, Karouli and Sawaimadhopur. And, its 3rd phase is being organized in Udaipur Division.

Dr. Arup Dev, State Officer WHO, demonstrated via the power point slide show, the history of the disease and vaccination procedure.

He said that, “This program is to vaccinate every child of the age group of 9 months to 10 years. Measles Vaccination program is being organized across the 14 states across the India in which Rajasthan is also one”.

He further added, “This program will start for Udaipur and Kota Divisions from 17^th December 2012 in which a doctor will sit at static centers, like ‘Anganvadis or Asha outlets’ and the volunteers of Asha and Anganvadi will bring the child to the doctor for vaccination.

The vaccination procedure is through injection, not oral, like the pulse polio, so there are no door-to-door visits under this program”.

Dr. Ravish of UNICEF, told that, “300 out of a total of 400 children dying due to Measles, are from India. He told that in phases I and II almost 37 lakh children has been benefited by vaccination across Rajasthan, and there is a target to vaccinate 19.18 lakh children from Udaipur Division.

For this, 22000 vaccination sessions has to be started, almost 2700 vaccination workers has been trained under this program.”

“Minor sickness symptoms occurring after the vaccination is not due to the vaccine. There is no side effect of the vaccine or the vaccination process. We are targeting for 100% eradication of this disease like we did for polio, but the main deterrence are the unawareness, myths and blind faith, superstition and fear of injection and allopathic medicines among the tribal and uneducated mass of the Division.”, mentioned the Doctor from UNICEF.