🦠🚨 Mumps Cases Surge Across India: CPI Urges Immediate Vaccine Reintroduction!
- MediaFx
- Dec 14, 2024
- 2 min read
TL;DR
🚨 The CPI National Secretary, Annie Raja, has written to the Health Minister, Shri JP Nadda, highlighting the alarming spread of #Mumps across India. She demands the urgent reintroduction of the Mumps Vaccine into the Universal Immunization Programme (#UIP) to curb the crisis. With 69,000+ cases reported in 2024 alone, immediate action is needed to save lives. 🩺
📈 Mumps on the Rise: Alarming Stats
India is witnessing an unprecedented surge in mumps cases, especially in states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. 😷 In Kerala alone, nearly 2,000 cases were reported in 2023, and a staggering 69,000+ cases have been recorded across the country in 2024. 😨
🔬 Why Is Mumps Dangerous?
Mumps isn’t just about swollen cheeks! 🙅♂️ It can lead to severe complications like:
Acute Meningoencephalitis 🧠 (affecting 1–10% of patients)
Hearing Loss 👂 (permanent in some cases)
Issues with the nervous system, pancreas, thyroid, and reproductive organs
This is a crisis we CANNOT ignore, especially since children and adolescents are at the highest risk. 🧒👧
🌍 Global vs. India: Where Do We Stand?
Out of 194 WHO member countries, 123 nations have already included the Mumps vaccine in their national immunization programs. 🌏 Unfortunately, India is still lagging behind. Currently, we only offer the MR Vaccine (Measles-Rubella), leaving children vulnerable to mumps. 😔
✊ CPI’s Call for Action
CPI’s National Secretary, Annie Raja, has made a strong appeal to the Health Minister:1️⃣ Reintroduce Mumps Vaccine into the UIP as part of the MMR Vaccine (Measles-Mumps-Rubella).2️⃣ Launch mass vaccination drives to prevent further outbreaks.3️⃣ Ensure the vaccine is free, safe, and cost-effective for all. 💉
She pointed out that the 2023 pan-India mumps outbreak should have been a wake-up call. 🚨
🛠️ What’s Next?
The ball is now in the government’s court. 🏛️ Annie Raja’s letter emphasizes that immediate intervention is essential to prevent a full-blown health crisis. If India acts swiftly, we can join the ranks of countries effectively fighting mumps through vaccination. 🩹
🌟 A Stand for Public Health
At MediaFx, we stand in solidarity with CPI’s demand for universal access to the Mumps vaccine. 🙌 This is not just a call for vaccination but a fight for the health and safety of our children. 🧒💓
