OBJECTIVE: To determine the
1) Immunization coverage of individual vaccine according to WHO expanded programme on immunization
2) Factors causing hindrance in poorly immunized cases
METHODS: This was Cross sectional descriptive study conducted at pediatrics departments of Madinah Teaching Hospital and Divisional Headquarter Hospital , Faisalabad, over a period of 1 year from May 2012 to April 2013. Total 1600 parents were interviewed having children between 13 months to 2 years of age visiting the pediatrics outpatient departments. They were inquired about different aspects of awareness regarding EPI, national immunization days (NIDs), source of vaccination and different reasons for not being vaccinated. The data collected according to the specially designed questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS version 20.
RESULTS: Out of these 1600 children, 1132 (71%) were enrolled at Madinah teaching hospital and 468 (29%) at Divisional headquarters Hospital Faisalabad. Fifty eight percent were male and 42% were females. Only 63% children were fully vaccinated according to EPI with individual percentage of 82.4 % for BCG, 77.5% for OPV & Pentavalent( 3 doses) and 67.3% for Measles( 2 doses). Most of the children 716 (44.8%) got vaccinated from mobile teams. The main reasons for unvaccination or incomplete vaccination were unawareness 42.6% and non-availability of nearby facility 21.5%.
CONCLUSION: The immunization coverage according to EPI is not up to the mark, that can be a major contributory factor towards high Infant and under 5 mortality in Pakistan. More efforts are required to create awareness and availability of vaccination at door step of the people.
Key words: Vaccination, expanded programme on immunization (EPI), measles epidemic
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