Strike adversely affects vaccination in municipal hospitals

Nashik, Nov 2

As the contract workers under the National Urban Health Mission are on strike for their various demands, the immunisation in the hospital within the municipal limits has been disrupted.

Small children are vaccinated in phases at government sub-centres including municipal hospitals. However, poor families in the city are facing inconvenience as children have not been inoculated for the past seven days.

The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has seven hospitals in CIDCO, Satpur, Nashik Road, Panchavati, Nashik East and Nashik West divisions.

Vaccinations are given at some health sub-centres including Bytco Hospital, Zakir Hussain hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital in Panchavati and municipal hospital in Morwadi. The vaccination, which is free in municipal hospitals, costs around 1,500 to 2,000 in the private hospitals, thus benefiting families from economically weaker sections. Children are vaccinated in stages, from their birth to the age of five to six years.

Regular vaccination helps protect children from dreaded diseases. Importantly, there is a schedule that needs to be followed for vaccinations done from birth to adulthood. Immunisation has been affected after Asha Sevikas went on strike, along with the National Urban Health Contract employees in the municipal limits. Parents who come to give the scheduled doses to their children are turned away.

The city’s population has crossed two lakhs, putting a strain on the health system of the civic body. As dengue cases are increasing in the city, the guardian minister has given instructions to conduct door to door surveys. However, this survey has also been affected due to Asha Sevikas being on strike.

Info:

Various types of vaccinations are done in all municipal hospitals. However, the vaccination has been delayed due to the strike by the contract workers under the National Urban Health Mission.

- Dr Tanaji Chavan, Health Medical Officer, NMC