Hundreds of UP madrassas reject immunization over WhatsApp rumours

MEERUT: Hundreds of madrassas across western Uttar Pradesh have refused permission to health department teams to administer the measles-rubella vaccine to their students due to several “WhatsApp rumours”, exposing lakhs of children to deadly and contagious diseases.In Meerut alone, at least 70 of the 272 seminaries have refused entry to health officials. Meerut district immunization officer Vishwas Chaudhary said, “This is because of wrong information being spread mainly over WhatsApp . According to these messages, the vaccine can make a child impotent.”“Some madrassa authorities have asked students to stay at home on the day of vaccination. We have now set up teams to conduct awareness drives and to inform people that the vaccine is safe,” said Dr BS Sodi, chief medical officer (CMO) Saharanpur. Madrassas in Bijnor and Moradabad are also opposing the vaccination drive.Measles is highly-contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing. According to a government report, over 49,000 children were killed in 2015 due to it. Rubella, according to WHO, is a contagious, mild viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. While rubella is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects, its infection in pregnant women may cause fetal death or congenital defects.The state health department is now taking help from senior clerics to quell rumours. City qazi for Meerut, Qazi Zainus Sajidin, has in his sermon asked all madrassas to allow government teams into their campuses. “The vaccine has no side-effects. It has been tested by doctors of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia and no problem was found,” he said.Several other madrassas in Saharanpur, Bijnor and Moradabad have also taken a similar stand.Bijnor health authorities are also taking steps to spread awareness. Bijnor CMO Dr Rakesh Mittal said: “A meeting of the religious heads was conducted by district magistratein Bijnor to convince the madrassas. ”Meanwhile, there have been reports of children falling sick after measles-rubella vaccination from across the country. However, the health department in almost all the cases said it was due to other factors and not the vaccine.