SafePoint Trust launches pan-India safe injection campaign

Hyderabad, Nov 14 (UNI) SafePoint Trust, a UK-based charity today launched an intensive campaign in India, in the wake of what it called ''the deplorable conditions of unsafe injections'' in the country.

The unique multi-pronged media blitz campaign will have a gamut of communication tools like public awareness messages, public awareness films on television and in cinema halls, radio spots and leaflets.

Claiming that two-thirds of the injections in India were ''unsafe,'' the Trust, based on a World Bank-funded study, said in the areas of waste disposal too, disposal of plastic syringes and disposable needles was observed at 61.3 per cent of the health facilities and was found to be least in immunisation clinics (50.9 per cent).

Also satisfactory terminal disposal of injection-related wastes was observed in less than half the health facilities (44.8 per cent) and was found to be least in private health facilities (41.5 per cent). Health facility levels of plastic syringe disposal were better in urban areas (69.6 per cent) as compared to the rural counterparts (57.9 per cent) in all sectors.

Similarly, satisfactory terminal disposal was more in urban health facilities (51.2 per cent) as compared to that in rural areas (42.2 per cent). The need of the hour is to maximise all efforts to eradicate this evil from society, thereby calling everybody to demand a safe injection, be it for curative or therapeutic purposes.

In India, a comprehensive, tactical and highly visible awareness campaign will see the Trust spending over 700,000 euros over a week and will exploit media in an intensive one-week awareness campaign.

''It will be one of the biggest media spends, if not the biggest, in India for the launch week,'' according to Trust consultant Paul Mallins.

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