Estimation of coverage of pulse polio immunization round on 28th January 2018

Background: India accounted for more than 50% of polio cases globally. India therefore started the intensive pulse polio immunization (IPPI) in 1995. The national immunization days (NID) were on 28th January and 11th March 2018. The objectives of this study were to determine the completeness of pulse polio immunization round on 28th January 2018, to evaluate the reasons for non-compliance of the community towards the vaccination round, to assess the demographic profile amongst the unvaccinated children.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 570 children of zero-five years were checked in major areas of Pune that is Katraj Zoo, Swargate, Saras baug and a school in Dhankawadi. The data was collected after the first round of PPI by viewing the ink mark on the left little finger nail of the child or by interviewing the parents. SIA monitoring chart was used to assess the completeness of immunization campaign. Statistical analysis: Microsoft Excel were used to calculate percentages.Results: Out of 570, 69 (12.1%) were unvaccinated with the highest number seen in nursery that is 28 (40.6%). Amongst the unvaccinated (n=69), 40 (57.9%) were males. In the unvaccinated children (n=69), 13 (18.84%) and 56 (81.15%) belonged to age group of 'zero-two years and two-five years respectively. Reasons for being unvaccinated were 29(42%) parents were unaware of time and place of PPI, 21 (30.4%) were outside Pune and 19 (27.5%) were unwilling due to false beliefs..Conclusions: Awareness should be increased about benefits of PPI through mass media, local leaders and teachers to enhance community participation. The authorities' in charge of the PPI should be informed regarding areas lacking significant coverage so that they can be concentrated upon during subsequent PPI rounds ultimately contributing to eradicate poliomyelitis.

Assessment of cold-chain maintenance in vaccine carriers during Pulse Polio National Immunization Day in a rural block of India.

India was certified polio free on 27 March 2014. Supplementary immunization activities, in the form of national immunization days, is one of the core strategies for eradication, where oral polio vaccine is administered to children aged under 5 years throughout the country. Oral polio vaccine is heat sensitive and requires maintenance of a stringent cold chain. Therefore, vaccine carriers with ice packs are used in the Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI) programme. This study assessed whether the cold chain is maintained during National Immunization Day in Beed district. A cross-sectional study was conducted at six randomly selected booths, one each from six primary health centres in Georai block of Beed district in Maharashtra. Electronic data loggers, configured to measure half-hourly temperatures, were kept in vaccine carriers throughout the day of PPI. The vaccine carrier temperature was below 8 °C at all six booths; minimum temperature recorded was –9.5 °C, while the maximum was 4.5 °C. The vaccine vial monitor did not reach discard point in any booth. A vaccine carrier with four ice packs very effectively maintains the cold chain required for oral polio vaccine.

Deconstructing social resistance to pulse polio campaign in two north indian districts.

Objective: To gain an insight into the phenomenon of social resistance and rumors against pulse polio campaign. Design: Qualitative, community-based investigation, mapping perceptions of various stakeholders through in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), non-formal interactions and observations. Setting: Moradabad and JP Nagar districts of Uttar Pradesh. Subjects: IDIs (providers 33, mothers 33, community leaders 10); FGDs (providers 4, mothers 8) and non-formal interactions (156) with community leaders, parents, businessmen, journalists (Hindi and Urdu media), mobilizers, vaccinators and supervisors. Results: A distinct machination of social resistance and rumors against oral polio vaccine during supplementary immunization activities (SIA) was observed in some minority dominated areas. The pattern can be understood through a model that emerged through qualitative evidence. Inspite of all this, most parents in minority areas supported the SIAs. Only a few clusters from extremely marginalized sections continued to evade SIAs, with an endemic pattern. Through social osmosis, these rumors reached majority community as well and some parents were affected. However, in such cases, the resistance was sporadic and transient. Conclusion: While the program’s focus was on microbiological issues, the obstacles to polio eradication lie in the endemicity of social (and/or cultural) resistance in some pockets, leading to clustering of perpetually unimmunized children - inspite of good coverage of SIAs at macro level. This may sustain low levels of wild poliovirus transmission, and there can be exceptions to the robustness of the pulse approach. A micro level involvement of volunteers from marginalized pockets of minorities might be able to minimize or eliminate this resistance.

Nutritional Status of Under Fives on National Immunization Day in Srinagar

A large number of children were reached on national immunization day (NID ) on 20.01.2002 in Srinagar, and an attempt was made to assess the nutritional status of under fives by using weight for age criteria. Eight hundred seventy under fives were selected randomly from urban, rural and slum areas of Srinagar. Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) was found to be in 390(44.82%) of cases. out which 24.14%, 14.96%, 5.06%, 0.068% had grade I, II , III and IV PEM respectively. The prevalence of PEM was higher among females (49.58%) as compared to males (41.48%). It was also high in the age group of 1-3 yrs (55.84%) in slums (57.83%) and in the children or labour classl (58.99%). The prevalence of malnutrition increased with the birth order and family size and decreased with high literacy rate in parents. National immunization day can by used to assess the nutritional status of children and on this day other common childhood problems can be successfully looked into, so that a normogram for any region or country for administering vitamin A and education mothers can be prepared.