R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, JUNE 28
Media professionals, UNICEF and Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine discussed vaccine hesitancy and misinformation around measles and rubella, at a workshop on the role of media in creating awareness on routine immunization and measles and rubella vaccination.
The media workshop was organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in partnership with UNICEF, in the backdrop of rising measles cases here on Wednesday.
- The media has a critical role in sharing and disseminating information and persuading communities to seek life-saving healthcare practices like immunization: Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) Dr T S Selvavinayagam
- Immunization is the simplest and most affordable public health initiative to protect children from deadly diseases: Ramya Kannan, Chief of Bureau of Tamil Nadu, The Hindu
Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) Dr T S Selvavinayagam apprised the participants on the symptoms of measles, and prevention and cure of the life-threatening disease. He asked them address vaccine hesitancy and counter misinformation and cultural myths around measles.
He said, “The media has a critical role in sharing and disseminating information and persuading communities to seek life-saving healthcare practices like immunization. Media also plays an important role in raising awareness of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI).”
Dr K Vinay Kumar, Joint Director, DPH and the State Immunization Officer said, “There is absolute need to work with media for the benefit of entire community. Media should help build confidence and trust in parents and caregivers to immunize their children, especially MR vaccination.”
Dr Vinay shared the immunization program of the state and assured that the directorate is equipped to vaccinate all children in the state with MR vaccination before December 2023, the deadline given by the Union Government.
Dr Vinay Kumar said that the AEFI reported in the districts were around 1,500 since 1985. Each and every AEFI event was properly scrutinised by district and state level committee and report the same to central health authorities.
Ramya Kannan, Chief of Bureau of Tamil Nadu, The Hindu reiterated that immunization is the simplest and most affordable public health initiative to protect children from deadly diseases. She dealt in length on the evils of miscommunications disseminated by social media influencers on vaccinations, especially during Covid pandemic.
She urged the media to be informed, sensitive and constructive with cross verification from all the stake holders of the health department while reporting on AEFIs and immunization efforts undertaken by the authorities.
Kaushik Ganguly, Social Policy Specialist – Child Survival, UNICEF said, “UNICEF is the largest procurer of vaccination in the world ensuring children has access to vaccinations in the toughest of places. UNICEF also supports the governments to generate demand for vaccination and address hesitancy by engaging with various influencers including mainline and social media.”
Speaking at the meet, few media personnel also suggested UNICEF and DPH on sensitisation of desk journalists in media houses and also future mothers – Women college students on measles and rubella vacciations.
UNICEF had also conducted a workshop for media personnel on Child Rights in association with Tamil Nadu office of the Press Information Bureau in Chennai last week.
