May 02, 2002 09:36 AM
5374 Views
(Updated Dec 11, 2002 09:43 AM)
Im a practicing doctor, MD in Preventive & Social Medicine and currently attached to Sion Hospital. It is heartening to know that people have gone through so much of trouble to know more on immunistion, vaccines but have visited the wrong
sites.
Vaccines, are beyond doubt a boon to medicine.!
How many ofus have seen a child 7-8 yrs. old walking on all fours, bcoz his legs are weak and thin as matchsticks due to themuscles being wasted? How many of us have seen children 2-3 yrs old, on respirators and IV medicines in a ward with breathing difficulty bcozof`the`formation`of`a`transparent`film`over`their`windpipe.Mostlikekly`u`hav
nt`nor`will`u`ever.The`first`disease`described`is`polio`and`the`second`is`diphthe
ria.`Both`of`which`are`vaccine`preventable.Thats`the`reason`u`may`never`see`one.V
accines`may`not`not`be`the`perfect`solution`as`they`do`carry`their`own`problems(l
ocally`inflammation, pain), but`if`administerd`according`to`protocol, `they`are`defintely`wothwhile`in`the`long`run.
Most`studies`are`done`on`vaccinated`kids, eg.`to`study`the`deaths`due`to`polio`vaccines`(which`is`a`remote`possibility), `they`wouldtake`all`vaccinated`children`say`100`in`an`area, and`follow`thm`up.If`1`death`occurs`death`rate`due`to`polio`becomes`1%.`This`fig
ure`is`misleading.A`comparisn`of`all`polio`immunsied`vs.`immunised`deaths`would`g
ive`the`right`picture.`Thus`all`studies`printed`on`the`web`need`not`hold`true.`
in`my`carrer`i`haveimmunised`over`200`kids.on`an`averagethere`are`10`kids`visti
ng`my`OPD`for`vaccination(OPV
Just`coz`someguy`found`out`that`this`vaccine`causes`this, `does`it`mean`that`we`take`a`chance`with`our`child`andlet`our`children`remain`un
immunised?`I`didnt`think`so!
Vaccines`are`a`childs`right`and`thats`the`reason`theGovt.`promotes`them`and`we`
give`them`free`of`cost`to`all`children`in`the`OPD.
Parcetamol`is`common`drug`that`we`all`use`when`we`have`headaches, did`u`know`it`can`cross`the`blood`brain`barrier`and`cause`parkinson`like`symptom
s`in`susceptibles?`Now`u`wouldnt`stop`using`paracetamol`, would`you?Its`never`given`u`any`trouble`so`far, `but`this`is`proven`by`a`study!
If u have any queries, u can mail`me`hiphopdoc@rediffmail.com
