Resident from Govandi sends legal notice to Union health ministry over measles outbreak

Faiyaz Shaikh, a Govandi resident, sent the legal notice and has also filed a petition in the Bombay High Court claiming that with time more people are suffering from throat infections in Govandi. The petition seeks permanent closure of the incinerators that ‘produce’ bio-medical waste.

“Govandi Shivaji Nagar is a slum in the city of Mumbai that has been facing serious health hazards for the last two decades because of its surroundings. The air is injurious to breathe due to the poisonous smoke that comes from the bio-medical waste plant adjacent to it. Govandi slums have become a hot spot for viral diseases, including the current outbreak of measles,” the notice read.

“The entire area of Rafique Nagar, Baba Nagar is filled with polluted air. First, the incinerator has created health hazards and now the measles outbreak, which mostly happened due to the huge volumes of solid waste that is being dumped in the neighbourhood. The only intention behind writing this letter to the authorities is to get their attention since this is a serious issue that is affecting the lives of people,” said Shaikh.

The notice also quoted a report submitted by the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) and stated that the mortality rate in Govandi is 9.8 per cent and the average lifespan of a person is 38 years.

The Govandi area falls under the M/East (M/E) ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and mainly houses Lower Income Groups. According to the BMC data, the M/E ward recorded 109 cases of measles between January 1 and November 11 out of which 84 cases were recorded between October and November.  The city recorded a surge in measles cases between September and November. A team from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already visited the area to monitor and assess the on-ground situation.

Meanwhile, civic officials said that they are doing door-to-door visits for health check-ups and suspected patients are being administered vitamin A as well. “We have arranged for additional vaccination camps for children as well. However, there is a vaccine hesitancy among the people living there, which could be a primary reason behind the spread getting intensified in this part of the city,” said an official.