Experts fear measles outbreak as coronavirus impacts immunization efforts
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, as the healthcare system stands disrupted, experts fear that we could be staring at an impending measles outbreak. Due to the aggressive spread of the novel coronavirus and the lockdown restrictions imposed to tackle it, vaccination programs in several regions have been affected. Due to this, around 80 million children globally are at risk of contracting diphtheria, polio and measles.
India's immunization program affected since March
Priti Mahara—Director, Policy Research and Advocacy, Child Rights and You (CRY)—told HuffPost India that India's immunization program has been severely impacted since March when the coronavirus lockdown was first announced as the outbreak was starting to grip India. Mahara said it had taken years to put immunization and antenatal care (ANC) delivery in place, but the achievement became undone in just a few months.
'63% households in North reported lack of access to immunization'
Mahara said, "A whopping 63% of the surveyed households in the northern states reported the lack of access to immunization services, followed by West with 39%; while less than a third of the respondents reported inaccessibility to immunization from other regions."
Without timely measles vaccine, kids are at risk
After speaking to parents, health workers, government officers, and experts, HuffPost India reported that India is facing the risk of a measles outbreak. Children who do not get timely Measles-Rubella vaccines develop weaker immunity. If children do not get the vaccine at all, there is always the risk of a measles outbreak, said Dr. Kaninika Mitra, Health Specialist for UNICEF in West Bengal.
80 million children vulnerable to diphtheria, polio, and measles: WHO
According to the World Health Organization and the UNICEF, the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns have disrupted immunization programs putting an estimated 80 million children in 68 countries at risk of contracting diphtheria, polio, and measles.
300 children missed vaccinations in 2 Delhi slums: Survey
A CRY-backed survey conducted in two Delhi slums—VP Singh Camp and Nardaan Basti—found that the immunization process had been stalled since March and 300 children had missed their vaccinations. The process is yet to resume in local Anganwadi centers. An NGO supported by CRY, Matri Sudha, said mothers were asked to take children to public hospitals for immunization once the lockdown in Delhi ended.
In Arunachal and Assam, immunization continues smoothly, say authorities
In south Choto-Rakkhaskhali, an island in West Bengal's Sundarbans, the sole public health facility was closed after four coronavirus cases were reported, leading to the suspension of the immunization program. However, in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, authorities said immunization and ANC were continuing smoothly.
Government guidelines added to confusion
Reportedly, guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry added to the confusion pertaining to the infant immunization program. For instance, health activists pointed out that the guidelines state "no active mobilization to the health facility be carried out" and "every opportunity is to be utilized for vaccinating beneficiaries if they have already reported at the facilities." They said the two sentences contradict each other.
Health workers spread too thin
Health workers are spread too thin between handling the pandemic—including contact tracing, testing, and quarantining—and continuing immunization and ANC work. Anjana Basu, a health supervisor at a primary health center in Rajpur-Sonarpur, told HuffPost India that local health workers handle door-to-door pandemic awareness campaigns, surveys, ANC, and immunization. "People were calling us for ambulances and services and then even shouting at us," Basu said.
'ASHA workers physically stretched, emotionally stressed'
Dr. Abhijit Chowdhury—a hepatologist and West Bengal government's advisory board member—said, "ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers are physically stretched and emotionally stressed." He added, "In a top-down system, ASHA workers are at the bottom, shouldering the entire workload. It was necessary to distribute the responsibility involving self-help groups, panchayats, etc., but it never happened, exposing a deep crack in the country's healthcare system."
Migrant crisis, floods also impacted immunization efforts
Further, in ANC, health workers, need to touch mothers, but due to COVID-19, they show reluctance. Makeswar Raut, a senior health worker in Bihar, said that the migrant crisis—triggered by the abrupt lockdown—left children of migrant laborers without MR vaccinations. The recent floods in Bihar also made matters worse for immunization. "The supply was halted," Raut said, reportedly a common complaint across several states.
