Mumbai: 'Ploy to make Muslims infertile' rumours stall vaccination drive by BMC
At least 60 Urdu schools have now refused the permission to administer measles-rubella vaccination to kids due to fake news doing the rounds on the social media.
Mumbai: In an example of how spreading fake news could lead to massive social and political problems, some Muslim schools in Mumbai have refused to permit health officials to administer the Central government's flagship measles-rubella vaccination to kids because of social media rumours claiming that the vaccination caused infertility.
According to the rumours, these vaccinations are a ploy by the government to sterilise Muslims. At least 60 Urdu schools have now refused a vaccination due to this fake news doing the rounds on the social media.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now making all efforts to convince the Muslim community that this was merely a piece of fake news.
Meanwhile, an official said: "There is no substance in this rumour. This vaccination and infertility have no connection. We have vaccinated nearly 14 lakh people in Mumbai."
She added that the vaccination drive was conducted successfully in other states, like Telangana and Jammu and Kashmir, where there is a huge population of Muslims.
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