Tribal kids vulnerable; immunisation in Madhya Pradesh shows perceptible dip

Sravani Sarkar

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: More children in Madhya Pradesh, especially in tribal dominated pockets are being left vulnerable to different preventable diseases with the routine immunization percentage showing perceptible dip of five percent compared to last year.

The average immunization in MP between April and December is only 60% - which means that 40% kids are left vulnerable to diseases. During the corresponding period last year – 2015-16 (April to January), the immunization was 65% in MP, an analysis by NGO Vikas Samvad shows.

This dip of 5% is surprising and worrying especially as there is lot of emphasis on immunization and the worst dip has come in the tribal belts, Arti Sharma of Vikas Samvad, who analysed the figures, said.

When compared to Annual Health Survey 2012-13, the dip is of 6%. This is when the state had a budget of over Rs 2000 crore under National Health Mission (NHM).

According to the latest Health Management Information System (HMIS) bulletin under NHM of the MP department of health and family welfare, 53% of children in Vidisha and Seoni districts (47% immunised), 51 % in Mandla (49% immunized) and 50% children in Harda and Umaria have not been immunised in Madhya Pradesh (between April and December 2016).

During corresponding period last year, 63% children were immunized in Vidisha, 62 % in Seoni, 65% in Mandla and 67% in Harda & Umaria.

Under the universal immunization programme, the centre is providing assistance to prevent seven vaccine preventable diseases — diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, severe form of childhood tuberculosis and hepatitis B.

This programme was universalised in 1989-90, but after more than two decades it has not benefitted a vast population of children in the state, especially in the backward and far-flung districts.

The situation is worrying especially as MP has high infant deaths record.

According to National Health Mission figures, 17, 446 infants died from April 2016 to December 2017 in the state. (Photo courtesy: freepressjournal.in)