16,327 kids in Mumbai yet to be vaccinated, finds civic body survey

The BMC, under the Mission Indradhanush programme, surveyed high risk areas such as construction sites and nomadic areas to identify these children

After an extensive door-to-door survey since September, the civic body has identified 16,327 children under the age of 2, who have either not received immunisation or were partially immunised for diseases, under the government’s Mission Indradhanush scheme.

Of the identified children, 10,905 children have been put on various rounds of vaccinations as per the recommended schedule. (Getty Images)

The scheme was launched in December 2014 by the central government, and aims at immunising all children under 2 and pregnant women against seven preventable diseases through vaccinations. The diseases being targeted under the scheme are diphtheria, polio, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles and Hepatitis B.

According to data by the central government, 5 lakh children die due to vaccine-preventable diseases in India every year. Moreover, another 89 lakh children remain at risk of infection, because they are either unimmunized or partially immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.

“Children who are not immunised or are partially immunised have high risk of getting infected with childhood diseases and of dying, as compared who have received timely vaccinations,” Dr Padmaja Keskar, city’s executive health officer.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), under the Mission Indradhanush programme surveyed high risk areas such as construction sites and nomadic areas to identify these children. A total population of over 75 thousand were surveyed.

“The major reasons behind not following the immunisation schemes were high migration from the city, fear of taking injections and adverse events and misconceptions about vaccinations,” said Dr Chandrashekhar Chiplunkar, assistant health officer expanded programme on immunisation.

He added that many religious leaders and community leaders were involved in the programme to convey the importance of timely vaccination.

Of the identified children, 10,905 children have been put on various rounds of vaccinations as per the recommended schedule.

Under Mission Indradhanush, the first dose of vaccine is given at birth, followed by several dosages in a gap of few weeks. “We don’t want to miss out even on a single child when it comes to immunisation. Immunisation shots need to be taken at the right age. However, children who have missed the doses can take them in the next rounds, ” Keskar said.