Morung Express News
Kohima | October 3
Rumours and fake alerts about the Measles-Rubella vaccination have come as a serious obstruction to Nagaland Government’s campaign to eliminate the disease through state-wide vaccination.
The Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign (MRVC) was launched today by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio with a target to vaccinate 4.72 lakh children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years during the next five weeks.
However, misinformation and anti-vaccination campaigns that the vaccine caused side-effects and even long-term adverse effects had created a scare among many parents to get their children vaccinated.
The scare created by the rumours and fake alerts is so pervasive that parents from far flung areas like Mon and Longleng districts have been frantically calling up guardians of their children studying in urban towns like Dimapur in apprehension- not to let their children get vaccinated.
“We were told that the vaccine is dangerous and kills children. The news was said to be broadcasted in television and on the internet,” a mother from a village in Longleng, whose daughter is studying in Dimapur informed. She had also directed her daughter not to go to school to get vaccinated.
"With all the messages that are been circulated, we are still doubtful on the vaccination. We haven't decided if our children will be vaccinated," said a parent from Kohima who shared his confusion on the information being circulated on Whatsapp.
Reports from various parts of Nagaland revealed poor turnout for vaccination on the first day of the campaign.
The turn-out was also very disappointing in Peren, Dr M Nukshisangla Jamir, DPO (RCH &UIP), Peren told The Morung Express. She reported that there was complete refusal in Benreu village and a government school in Tening area.
The main reason for the poor turnout, besides the fear of needles, is the fear psychosis developed in the community due to misconception of the vaccination via fake news and false rumors spread in social mediums.
According to Dr Nukshisangla, the video clip from Assam, misconceptions of relating the vaccination to infertility, and the misplaced co-relation of Aadhar card and vaccinations to Satanism have created a negative impact among the community.
Similar reasons were cited in Zunheboto where parents were hesitant to allow their children to be vaccinated despite the awareness and sensitization programs held in villages, schools and churches for the last few months.
"Despite the awareness and sensitization programs held on a war footing, the fear psychosis of these false rumours has continued," an official source from Zunheboto stated.
With the vaccination campaign to continue till the end of October, health professionals are hopeful that mindsets will change gradually.
"It is discouraging but this is nothing new. We just have to deal cautiously and be patient. We have to give the community and people, space and opportunity to decide what is right and wrong. Immunization is always a very good approach to protect the community and our children from infection," Dr Nukshisangla remarked, adding that vaccinations such as the present one are mostly carried out to secure a good health for the children.
The need of the hour, according to a social worker, is for the State Government and other stakeholders to aggressively counter the rumours and fake news that is being spread through different social networking sites by using the same medium among others.
