Health authorities in Meghalaya on September 9 said measles and rubella vaccinations are completely safe and essential to save children from the two deadly diseases and ensure their healthy future.

Meghalaya Health secretary Pravin Bakshi requested people not to panic over reports of 25 children taken ill after MR vaccination in Assam's Hailakhandi district. Bakshi requested people here not to panic as health authorities in Assam has clarified that the children were taken ill after vaccination due to "anxiety and hysteria" induced by fear of injections.

"Kindly do not get swayed and affected by unverified news items and seek clarification of the same from district and state authorities The measles and rubella vaccinations are completely safe and essential to save children from the two deadly diseases and ensure their healthy future," he said.

The Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign, targeting children from 9 months till 15 years, is scheduled to begin in Meghalaya from September 24 onwards, in line with the national level campaign aims to eradicate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020.