A misinformation campaign carried out in Muslim localities of Godhra by unidentified persons a week before the mass polio vaccination programme has upset both the local Muslims as well district authorities. Written materials in Urdu stating that polio-drops cause infertility among the children to whom they are administered were being circulated. A mass polio vaccination drive is scheduled to be carried out in Panchmahals district from November 11 to 13.
Local Muslims there burnt copies of a vernacular periodical which first carried the news stating that some local clerics had issued a fatwa asking Muslims not to administer polio drops to their children because the vaccines could cause infertility. On the other hand, district authorities held a series of meetings with religious and social leaders to convince them that polio drops were completely safe and the propaganda being carried out was false and baseless.
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Speaking to Express Newsline from Godhra, social activist Saleem Ismail Sheikh said, ‘‘No such fatwa was issued at all.’’ He said that Muslims felt agitated and on Saturday burnt copies of the newspaper.
Sheikh said that Urdu monthly Taameer-e-Hayaat, published from Lucknow, in its September 2006 issue carried an article by one Shahbaz Hindi. (A photocopy of the article is in possession of this newspaper). In his article, Hindi says, ‘‘While the Ulemas of Nigeria have issued a fatwa against polio drops, president of Nigeria’s Supreme Council of Sharia Laws Ibrahim Datti, himself a well-known physician, has accused the United States of mixing certain elements into the polio vaccines that causes infertility.’’ Arguing against the effectiveness of the vaccine, Hindi, quoting Hindi newspapers like Dainik Jagran, says that many children have been hit by polio even after being given the vaccines.
In the article running into four pages, the author says, ‘‘I have written it for the benefit of ‘Ulema-e-Kiram’ (Muslim religious leaders) who have extended their strong support for compulsory administration of polio doses to all children.’’ He challenges the clerics to come out with facts against his arguments and promises to publish them in the magazine.
Panchmahals District Development Officer (DDO) R J Patel, in-charge of the polio vaccination campaign in the district, said, ‘‘We don’t know who distributed the copies of the article but the local Muslims at a meeting on Thursday assured me of their full co-operation.’’
Chief District Health Officer Dr Prakash Vaghela said a meeting with local Muslim leaders would be held in Muslim-dominated Polan Bazar again on November 9 where district authorities would speak about the significance of the vaccine. Vaghela has procured a letter from the principal of the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, in support of polio vaccine. It would be read in front of the audience to remove misunderstandings, if any, caused by the circulation of the article.
To counter the Urdu article, Vaghela is also circulating materials saying that even Saudi Arabia did not permit children to go to Mecca and Madina for the Haj pilgrimage if they had not received polio doses. ‘‘I am confident that people would not be misled by the misinformation campaign and support the programme,’’ Vaghela said.
WHO consultant and in-charge of the National Polio Surveillance Project in Central Gujarat region Dr G S Baria said, ‘‘Batches of vaccine are released for use only after conducting quality control test.’’ He said the vaccine neither created infertility, nor affected masculinity.