Sehore (Madhya Pradesh): Nearly 30,000 doses of BCG may expire this month, as many people are keeping away from getting vaccinated, fearing its side effects, sources in the district health department said. This is the reason why the health department is yet to complete 10% of the target for vaccinating people above 18 years of age against TB.

It happened because a large number of people developed this fear because of the rumours about the side effects of anti-corona vaccines. The health department is worried about it.

People above 18 years of age are vaccinated under the TB eradication drive. The group consists of those who have been in contact with TB patients, people above 60 years, malnourished adults, smokers and diabetics.

Nearly five lakh people are to be vaccinated on the grounds of the people of the district and the history of TB patients. The campaign for vaccinating people against TB was launched in March, but only 50,000 were vaccinated.

Health officials are working hard to convince the residents to get vaccinated against TB, but their efforts failed. Even the government officials avoid getting vaccinated against TB.

The vaccinated people may remain free from the disease for 15 years. District vaccination officer, Dr Meherban Singh, said that the officials were informing the people about the importance of getting vaccinated against TB. They are, however, misguided by the rumours about its side effects, but the campaign is going on, Dr Singh said.