ES Reporter

NAHARLAGUN, Dec 17: Brushing aside fears about side effects and efficacy of immunization, Medical Officer (MO) for Immunization Dr. Tage Taka said that misinformation has restricted Arunachal Pradesh from attaining the target of 100 per cent immunization.
Taka was addressing the one-day State-Level Media Sensitization Workshop on Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 which was organised here at a private hotel by the department of National Health Mission (NHM). 
Elaborating on the problem, Taka referred to a newspaper report published a few years back that highlighted the so-called potential side effects of one particular vaccine during the Power Point Presentation session and opined that such negative stories in mass media could contribute greatly to the vaccine hesitancy rate, especially in rural areas.“Media should not publish negative stories about vaccines without examining actual facts and scientific evidences about the risk factors and such reports may prompt people to oppose vaccination,” he added. 
However, he underlined that print and electronic media could play a very important role in breaking these negative notions and help health professionals and authorities to successfully implement the targeted awareness and vaccination campaigns. Media can encourage people to get their children vaccinated timely by sharing information about the importance of immunization, success stories, etc and help health professionals in containing the public distrust about vaccines, he said. He further hoped that media could become a guiding light to facilitate behavioural change, develop accurate information systems about immunization and strengthen the trust between individuals and health care professionals.
Nodal officer NHM, Dr. D Padung said that IMI 2.0 aims to immunize children less than 2 years of age and pregnant women against eight vaccine-preventable diseases. 
“Through this programme, GoI aims to reach every children up to two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunization programme, informed Deputy Director IEC Ongtang Thamphang.
UNICEF Consultant Bijay Dungdung gave a Power Point Presentation on the topic ‘Social & Behavioural Change Communication and Strategy Based on Socio-Ecological Model’. During the workshop, discussions covered several broad concerns about the immunization system as well as issues of specific concern at the district level. The drive will be conducted for 7 days, beginning from the first week of  January 2020 to March 2020 and previously Anjaw, East Kameng, Kamle, Kra-Daadi, Lohit, Longding, Lower Dibang Valley, Lower Siang, Lower Subansiri, Namsai, Papum Pare Rural, Papum Pare Urban, Siang, Tawang, Tirap, Upper Subansiri, West Kameng and West Siang districts were covered. Vaccines for tuberculosis, meningitis, measles, Hepatitis B, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and diphtheria will be provided free of cost to children at all public health facilities under the government’s Universal Immunization Programme.
After the workshop, organizing members also held a meeting with all religious groups urging them to impart awareness to the parents so that they can turn up and avail benefits of the immunization campaign.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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