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Uttar Pradesh: Lakhs Of Children At Risk As Madrassas Block Vaccine-Drive Saying It Causes Impotency
Muslim children reciting verses from Islam’s holy book Quran on the 13th day of Ramadan at a Madrasa (School) on July 21, 2013 in Noida. (Photo by Burhaan Kinu/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Several madrassas across Uttar Pradesh have denied entry to health officials to provide the students with measles-rubella vaccines. This has put lakhs of students’ health at risk. Out of the 272 seminaries in Meerut, 70 of them have refused entry to the officials.
Times of India quoted Meerut’s immunisation officer Vishwas Chaudhary as saying that false information is being spread through WhatsApp that the vaccine can make a child impotent.
Furthermore, Dr BS Sodi, Saharanpur’s chief medical officer said, “Some madrassas asked students to stay at home on the day of vaccination. We have now set up teams to conduct awareness drives and to inform people that the vaccine is safe,” Times of India reported.
In 2015, over 49,000 children lost their lives due to measles. Department of Health (UP) is seeking assistance from the clerics to put an end to the fear that’s being spread online. Qazi Nainus Sajidin has now asked all the madrassas to permit entry to the health officers in Meerut.
Adding to what he said earlier, Dr Sodi informed, “Some madrassa authorities have asked students to stay at home on the day of vaccination. We have now made response teams which are conducting awareness drives and informing people that the vaccine is safe.”
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