Evaluation of pulse polio and routine immunisation coverage: Alwar District, Rajasthan.

During the last decade, India achieved 88% reduction in reported poliomyelitis incidence. However, absolute number of reported cases still remains high. As an added effort to eradicate the disease, the country observed its first National Immunisation Days (NIDs) on 9.12.95 and 20.1.96. The present study evaluates the performance of Alwar district, Rajasthan. Modified 30 cluster technique was used to collect information. Overall coverage in rural and urban areas was 89% and 91% respectively. Main source of information was television in urban and health staff in rural areas. Most of the respondents knew about the usefulness of such special activity and had favourable opinion about the facilities provided. Urban Alwar had 80% OPV3 coverage but, in rural area it was almost half. The reported coverage of NIDs and UIP was found to be conflicting with the study results. The existing "dose enumeration method" of calculating reported coverage was attributed to be the cause. The study emphasises the need to incorporate an in-built community-based evaluation of future NIDs and utilisation of such results for planning.

Methods for estimating prevalence and incidence of senile cataract blindness in a district.

The problem of senile cataract blindness (SCB) is very acute in India, contributing to 80 per cent of total blindness. The national objective of reducing the prevalence of blindness from 1.49 per cent, during 1986-89 to 0.3 per cent by AD 2000 has necessitated the surgical correction of SCB to be the major activity. With the introduction of District Blindness Control Society (DBCS), there has been a substantial increase in the number of operations of SCB in those districts. However, in the absence of standard, feasible, simple and cost effective methods to estimate the prevalence and incidence of SCB, the DBCS may find it difficult to plan and execute its major activity in a realistic way. The paper suggests two such methods for the use by DBCS. Only five seemingly rational assumptions have been adopted for the purpose. The authors feel that proper field testing is required to be sure about the reliability and validity of these methods.

Poliomyelitis in Delhi: a projection on pool of at-risk under five during 1995.

Due to lacunae in coverage and limitation in efficacy, immunization with oral polio vaccine has left a group of susceptible children at risk of developing poliomyelitis. The present study, with the help of statistics, projects the size of that susceptible pool of underfive children in Delhi during 1995. With the help of available data and some assumption, a formula has been developed for the purpose. The size of the pool thus estimated is about 3.7 lakh. There is a need to develop methodology for finding such susceptibles at community level, particularly at the terminal phase of eradication. An additional approach of immunization has also been suggested to facilitate the prospect of polio eradication.

Acute paralytic poliomyelitis in Delhi (1975-1992).

Incidence of poliomyelitis in Delhi between 1975 and 1992, estimated from available data, shows a ladder-pattern type of decline from 15.65 in 1975 to 5.90 in 1992. The linear regression analysis shows a declining trend of incidence by 66.28% during the period. Huge increase of population with fast growing slums and resettlement colonies in Delhi was attributed to be responsible for partly counteracting different poliomyelitis control/eradication activities. The population representativeness of estimated incidence showed constant improvement during 1980 to 1991.