E-Paper
Anomalies plague immunisation drive
IRREGULARITIES PLAGUE the 'Regular Immunisation' programme in the district, partly because the Pulse Polio programme seems to have overshadowed all other schemes.
IRREGULARITIES PLAGUE the 'Regular Immunisation' programme in the district, partly because the Pulse Polio programme seems to have overshadowed all other schemes.
The health department, along with ICDS and CARE, is responsible for undertaking the RI programme.
It includes immunisation for tetanus toxide (for pregnant women), BCG, DPT-1, 2&3, OPV, measles and Vitamin-A dose for night blindness.
A visit to village-level centres revealed shocking details. Anganwadi workers could be seen distributing expired tablets of iron folic acid and even administering Vitamin-A dose from the lid of a bottle.
When this was pointed out by CARE officials at the Faizullaganj village centre, a field worker remarked she was provided with these by the ANM. After much persuasion, she discarded the stock. All this was happening when the district was celebrating 'Bal Swasthya Poshan' or Child Health month (December 7-31) for administering Vitamin A dose to children up to 3 years.
Taking a serious note of the anomalies, chief medical officer said the matter would be probed.
Already officials are facing a shortage of Vitamin-A dose. The district has received 2,000 bottles of Vitamin-A against a requirement of 4,250 bottles.
The CMO told the HT "the shortfall will be met through regular stock with field workers". Ironically, most of them have used it as massage oil. CARE, an international organisation which provides logistic and training support, has already voiced its concern.
Shubra Chatterjee of CARE said, "This is a regular programme, but we have put it in campaign mode to achieve results for administering Vitamin-A dose."
Results are there to see. On an average 25 per cent of ANMs fail to attend training modules and only 60 per cent of them collect medicine kit from block level.
Without any proper orientation and stock, the success of the 'Regular Immunisation' programme is questionable.
Shubra admits that the situation is grim, "but it is for the health officials to coordinate, we can only suggest".
A visit to various villages justify her concern. There has been no immunization in Bijauli village in Nindura block since December 2004. Pokhanni village has not received any medicines for the last three months.
The story seems to be the same at many village centres. Lack of coordination is also evident. With the stock being under the health department and the ICDS responsible for giving these medicines, each is passing the buck.
