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NGO, TMC join hands to immunise slum kids

In a single slum in Kalwa, there are over 239 unimmunised children in the age group of 0-5, according to an independent survey.

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Bhaskar Nagar is not very far from Mumbai – just a short auto ride from the Kalwa station on the Central Line. Yet, this slum nestled on a hill seems like another world. Along with pigs poking their noses in garbage heaps on narrow paths, the area is also a hotspot for unimmunised children.

But not all hope is lost. Doctors for You (DFY), a non-profit organisation, has been working in this area since early this year. The NGO attempts to help the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) reach such children, while the civic body provides vaccines and manpower.

Over 62% under-5 kids unimmunised

So far, the organisation has surveyed 1393 households in the area in their first phase. A whopping 239 children below the age of five years were found to have missed several key immunisations. Dozens have not received a single vaccine since birth. All this despite the fact that the area has health care centres and primary health care workers.

A nurse with the TMC said, "People living here move to their villages in UP and Bihar for a few months every year. Many refuse to let us immunise the children. Some even lie to us saying they got their children immunised at their native places."

Mission Indradhanush

Bhaskar Nagar is not an isolated case. There are several such pockets in the country that are difficult to map due to shifting population and topographical reasons. Low literacy levels and lack of education add to the challenge.

The government of India had launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014, which aimed at immunising all children below the age of 5 by 2020.

Soap as a sop

Savita Mishra, counsellor with the DFY-run centre in the area, says they are now attracting mothers with small incentives. "We give them bars of soap following immunisation. They tell their neighbours about it and others bring their children to get immunised," she says. She added that they spend a lot of time convincing mothers that the immunisation will not do any harm to their children.

Raj Yadav (4) was brought to the DFY centre by his mother, who said, "I don't remember if he has been immunised or not." There are dozens such children in this slum pocket with an estimated population of 50,000 people.

DFY Mumbai region head Dr Amit Kumar Nowhar said, "We are mobilising our staff to carry out an independent survey. TMC has provided us with vaccines and we are also using some of their staff for routine immunisation work." According to him, the low immunisation cover seen among the population is a reflection of the public health care in other states, where the population moves for few months in a year.

We will reach all areas, assures TMC.

The TMC, on its part, insists that pockets such as Bhaskar Nagar are just an aberration and their staff provides immunisation on a regular basis.

"While some children are missed during drives, these drives are conducted again. I do understand that at times it becomes difficult for women employees to operate in certain areas, in which case we try to depute a male employee along with them," said TMC health officer Dr Ram Kendre.

He, however, conceded that contaminated water, unsanitary conditions and unhygienic housing makes areas such as Bhaskar Nagar difficult to navigate.

Total children mapped between 0-5 years: 385
Number of children found unimmunised: 239
74.22% of 12-23-month-olds found unimmunised till date
62% of 0-5-year-olds found unimmunised
Independent survey covers 17 chawls and 1,393 houses in the first phase

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