INFLATED COVERAGE IN IMPLEMENTATION

A study on the Immunisation coverage has indicated that only 87% of children in Tamil Nadu have received the Measles Vaccination much lower than the figures of 98% suggested by a Government-owned survey.
It is a fact that many of the programmes/projects undertaken by the Departments of Health in the country have a tendency to project an unrealistic and unverifiable physical achievement invariably. If such an over-reporting is taking place in the State of Tamil Nadu one can very well imagine the state of affairs in the States like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The lower functionary in the Department of Health like in the case of Revenue Department always indulges in quoting the higher percentage of success in implementation of projects knowing fully well that there is no agency in the country to verify the reports submitted by them. Unless there is a change in the mind set of the Senior Officers in Health Department and they are willing to make spot inspection/verification at least on a random basis on the results being quoted/achieved at the grass roots, the bogus figures would invariably be manipulated and reported while the general public would continue to be befooled all the time as usual.