Doctors refuse to take H1N1 vaccine

About 80% of the state medical fraternity is unwilling to be vaccinated against swine flu.

Of the total 34,000 doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff in
the state working to treat swine flu patients, only 5,300 have showed willingness to take the swine flu vaccination.

“The others are reluctant to be vaccinated with the imported H1N1 flu vaccination,” said Dr DS Dakhure, the state director for health services.

He told DNA that last week, a list of the people working as paramedics at the isolation wards, including government and private hospitals and clinics across the state, was sent to the Union health ministry.

Explaining the reason behind their reluctance, Dr Dakhure said, “There are rumours that the imported vaccine can have serious side effects such as paralysis or urticaria (dermatological ailment). We are unsure how Indians will respond to this vaccine [manufactured by a French firm]. The union health ministry has ordered 1.5 million doses only for the high-risk category (health care workers).”