ABSTRACT
Background: Immunization contributes significantly to the achievement of millennium development goal number 4 and is one of the eight elements of primary health care. Effective utilization of immunization services is associated with reduced infections in young children with immature immune system and improved child health outcome. The objectives of the study were to compare the default rates for vaccine doses in immunization schedule; to study the factors responsible for default; to describe the socio-demographic profile of study subjects.Methods: An observational study was conducted in the urban and rural Primary health centre on immunization days for 3 months. The study subjects were children aged (9-24) months attending immunization clinics. Their care givers were interviewed regarding socio-demographic profile and causes for default. Sample size calculated was 184 (92) each from urban and rural clinic).Results: Among 184 care givers interviewed, mean age of study subjects was 14.9±4.6 months in urban & 14.6±4.9 months in rural clinic. Default rates for vaccination were 5.4% (birth dose), 7.6% (6th wk.) both in urban & rural clinic. However, for further doses i.e., 10th week, 14th week, 9 months and 18 months the default rates were slightly higher in rural compared to urban clinic. Commonest reason for default was mother not aware that child had missed dose (urban 52.2% and rural 42.3%) followed by child being sick (urban 26.6% and rural 30.4%).Conclusions: The overall default rate was found to be very high which is a serious concern and need to be addressed in order to prevent eventual dropouts.
ABSTRACT
Background: Contaminated hands play a major role in fecal-oral transmission of diseases. In 1847, Dr Semmelweis Ignac pointed to the link between infection and unclean hands, and demonstrated that washing hands could reduce transmission of puerperal fever (child birth fever), a dreaded disease with high mortality in those days. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the extent of germs present in hand, and also the students' perception on hand washing. This was assessed by questionnaire as well as by collection of swab from hand and performing bacteriological culture in the laboratory. Results: In regard to students' perception about the dirty areas of the hands, it was observed that majority (78%) felt palm was likely to be more dirty while less than 70% felt that web spaces could harbor dirt. Almost 86% reported that they washed hands before eating lunch, but only 21.3% said they always used soap while 47.3% never used it. Availability of soap all the time in the school was reported by only 18.4% students. The swabs of 61% children showed potential pathogens. The commonest of these was Staphylococcus aureus which was seen in 44% samples. Conclusion: The students' hands were contaminated before taking food. Although they washed hands before meals, they hardly used soap due to non-availability of soap. The school authority should be asked to keep soaps in the toilets for hand washing.