Daltonganj: The 100-day special drive to administer free anti-cervical cancer vaccination among girls between 14 and 15 years of age in Jharkhand is moving at a snail pace after the passage of first fortnight since start of the drive on April 1.The overall coverage at present stands at a meagre 1.26% of the earmarked target. The state had set a target to cover 3,20,803 eligible beneficiaries till April 16, but so far only 4,040 received doses.Among the districts, Palamu is among the worst achievers so far as its coverage is below one per cent. More than 20,000 girls are identified as targeted beneficiaries here, of which so far only 0.34% have taken the vaccine, said the report.
Coverage in its two adjoining districts — Garhwa and Latehar — are also limping at 0.10 and 0.81 per cent respectively. Jamtara is fairly better placed with over 6% coverage, while Dhanbad, East Singhbhum are struggling with four per cent each.Concerned over the poor response, Palamu administration has now decided to launch sensitisation drive. Deputy commissioner Sameera S at a review meeting on Thursday asked the civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar Sriwastwa to coordinate with the education department officials for the same.
“There is a consent form for this vaccination which is to be filled in by father, mother or guardian of a beneficiary. Hence, the education department officials will be taken on board to convince them in schools,” said an official.According to medical officers here, the poor response is due to numerous ‘misgivings’ about the vaccine. Dr Chaman Bhardwaj, a medical officer-in-charge of the govt community health centre at Chainpur, said, “Parents and girls argue that what’s the need of the vaccine as they are fit and fine.”Civil surgeon Sriwastwa added, “The vaccine is falsely painted as one which in the long run will cause infertility. It’s 100 per cent safe and is to protect young girls.”A cross section of parents from different faith also added that the consent form which is to be signed is too tedious.“The consent form is very tedious. It also refers to National Health Mission’s privacy policy. Parents get alarmed to read Act and privacy policies and so they withdraw themselves,” said a parent.
