Immunization of kids suffers amid COVID19

Amid the coronavirus pandemic which has forced people to stay indoors, parents across the Valley are worried about delay in immunization of their kids.

“My daughter is 10-month old. She was supposed to have herroutine immunization last week as per the card issued on her birth. I am veryworried as it is not possible at any nearest health centre, which are busy withcovid19 control right now,” said Muzaffar Ahmad.

   

“I understand how stressful the situation around is, howeveras a parent I can’t afford to take the risk of measles, cholera and other suchdiseases to my child,” he said.

As per the experts, the delay in vaccinating the childrencan cause outbreak of preventable disease in year ahead. “Disruption ofimmunization services, even for a brief period, will result in increasednumbers of susceptible individuals,” they said.

“Administration should offer either door to door service ofimmunization of kids or they should at least make dispensaries functional forthe cause.  Apart from this, they shouldat least set up a helpline service for addressing the issues related to childhealthcare and immunizations,” said Ahmad, a Srinagar resident.

Touseef-ul-Ayoub, MD Paediatric at SKIMS Bemina said as perIndian Academy of Paediatrics, every week 5.5 lakh children are added to theunvaccinated category. “Babies born in 2019 will miss the dose of measles andfew may miss the whole schedule,” he said.

“It has immediate and long term impacts. Vaccine preventabledeaths can increase and add to the burden in the entire system. Routinevaccines for polio, measles and DTP should be given priority,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chaudharysaid they have made arrangements for the routine immunization.

“It may get delayed by a couple of days, however our 1,000teams constituted for the city will be shortly organising this process underall precautions,” he said. “We have put in place complete arrangements forroutine immunization. Local hospitals are being strengthened for the cause.”

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