Desperate Kerala health department officials are seeking the help of mosques and Muslim organizations for measles prevention in several areas. Last Thursday, six new cases were reported from Nadapuram in the Kozhikode district alone. With this, the number of children suffering from illness in the panchayat increased to 32.  

Health department personnel then found that 355 children in that area had not been vaccinated. Despite vital awareness programs by health workers that the epidemic can be tackled only by taking the vaccine, Muslim parents are reluctant to immunize young children. The Health Department had organized a special camp for measles vaccination in the Nadapuram region, but many Muslim parents refused to vaccinate their children. 

In the Malappuram district, it was found that around one lakh children under the age of five have not been vaccinated. Affected school-going children can spread the virus far and wide. Nadapuram is one of the least vaccinated areas. Authorities decided to approach their houses directly, but superstitious Muslim families did not open the front door. 

The measles vaccine should be given within one year of age. There is a widespread campaign against vaccination in several districts. As part of an alleged population jihad, Kerala has also witnessed an unprecedented population rise among Muslims over the past several years.

This was when the health department tried to spread awareness through mosques on Friday. The health department is also trying to organize vaccination camps in madrasas. Some officials admitted that though humiliated and disgraced, they now need Muslim mosques’ support to curtail the spread of diseases in ‘number one Kerala.’ Health Minister Veena George refused to accept that it was an outbreak. 

Measles is an infectious disease caused by the measles virus. When an infected individual breathes, coughs, or sneezes, the virus is transmitted through the air or by direct contact with infectious droplets. Breath, saliva, touching contaminated surfaces, and physical contact like hugging all contribute to the rapid spread of measles.

Measles can induce significant health issues in young children. This infection can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, and ear infections that can cause permanent hearing loss. It also causes Encephalitis, a brain swelling that can cause seizures and death. 

The most frequent cause of death in children with measles is pneumonia which affects the lung. Those at risk include children under five, malnourished/unvaccinated children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals. Treatment cannot eliminate the virus.

Both the measles infection and the virus cannot be treated or eradicated. The only method to effectively avoid it is by vaccination. Fever and dehydration are two symptoms that can be treated to lessen their severity. That does not stop the disease from spreading.

It has been proved that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles infection after two doses. Early detection and treatment are required for children with a fever and rash. By December 2023, Bharat hopes to eliminate measles and rubella, but some Mulsim families are preventing us from reaching our goal. The issue is not restricted to Kerala alone.

Numerous Telangana districts bordering Maharashtra, including Nirmal, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, and Jagtial, reported hundreds of measles cases last month. Hyderabad also reported a spurt in cases of children’s hand, foot, and mouth disease. They, too, declined to use the term “epidemic.”

Dr. G Sudheera, Telangana Joint Director of child health and immunization, tried to deflect the blame. Health authorities claimed a high likelihood of the disease spreading from neighboring Maharashtra. Incidentally, Maharashtra has declared a Measles outbreak owing to frequent cross-border travel and movement of migrant workers. 

Telangana officials, too, tried to rope in Muslim religious leaders to spread awareness, but the results remain unknown. Though the media stopped reporting fresh incidents, it is feared that cases are on the rise. One is reminded of the Tablighi Jamaat by this dangerous trend.

Similar to how the coronavirus spreads, the infection is spread by inhalation or direct contact with the fluid that has the virus. Air droplets from talking, sneezing, or coughing can linger in the atmosphere for up to two hours.

At the height of the coronavirus outbreak in early 2020, 956 foreigners from 36 countries were booked in the Delhi Nizamuddin Markaz case. A congregation of 9000 Tablighi Jamaat members had assembled in March. They escaped from the capital city and traveled all over Bharat carrying/spreading COVID-19 in different parts of the country. They were charge-sheeted for violating visa regulations and government guidelines while indulging in illegal missionary activities,

In the Nizamuddin Markaz case, 60 Malaysian Tablighi Jamaat members applied for a plea deal. A Delhi court accepted their request and granted them immunity in exchange for a pittance of Rs. 7,000 each. Many legal experts pointed out that such verdicts set a poor precedent by letting serious offenders get away with little punishment.

Health officials now opine that a similar fearlessness of the law has now set into many radical Islamist families. They are the ones who refuse to vaccinate their young children.