RESUMEN
Background: India introduced fractional-dose inactivated poliovirus vaccine (fIPV) into its routine immunization program as part of the polio eradication and endgame strategic plan. The study aimed to assess the uptake of the 3rd dose of fIPV among eligible beneficiaries and explore the implementation challenges perceived by auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) at two primary healthcare centers in urban Bengaluru. Methods: A mixed-method study was conducted between April and May 2023. A cross-sectional design was used for quantitative objectives, while in-depth interviews were conducted with ANMs for qualitative insights. Data were collected through vaccination registers, questionnaires, and key informant interviews. The study population included all eligible beneficiaries for the 3rd dose of fIPV from January to March 2023. Results: Out of 296 eligible beneficiaries, 139 (47%) had received the 3rd dose of fIPV. The challenges faced by ANMs in fIPV3 implementation included difficulties in recording and reporting activities, fear of managing adverse events, lack of confidence in administering intradermal injections, obtaining consent from parents, inadequate training, and concerns about vaccine wastage and increased workload. Conclusions: The uptake of fIPV3 was suboptimal, and ANMs encountered several challenges during implementation. To enhance fIPV3 integration into the vaccination schedule, the health system needs to improve awareness among the community, strengthen health worker capacity, and provide better training and support. Strengthening routine immunization programs can contribute to sustained polio eradication efforts.
RESUMEN
Socioeconomic status (SES) is evaluated by considering a family's income, level of education, and occupation of head of household. SES serves as significant indicator of the family's overall health and their access to resources. Modified Kuppuswamy scale is among the most used tools to assess SES of urban residents, but it necessitates regular updates due to consistent inflation. In this study, present updated version of modified Kuppuswamy socioeconomic scale for the year 2023 in India. Additionally, we have further refined the income points for the scales that were previously underutilized. This refinement aims to ensure more accurate categorization of families based on their societal position.
RESUMEN
Background: The mid-day meal scheme (MDMS) in India is the world’s largest free school lunch program. In 2021, the scheme was renamed as PM-POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakthi Nirman). We conducted a study to quantify the routine daily dietary intake of school children with reference to calorie and protein intake and assess the proportion of calorie and protein intake from mid-day meals compared to routine daily intake. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in select five government schools of urban area of Bengaluru. From each school, a sample of 69 students (23 from each class i.e., 5th, 6th, and 7th standard) were selected using a computer-generated random number table amounting to a total sample size of 345. All the data were collected in a structured proforma and electronically entered using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using Epidata analysis software, version 3.1. Results: Our study findings revealed that nearly 1 in 3.6 children have protein deficiency routinely in their diet and 1 in 7.5 children have both protein plus calorie deficiency. Conclusions: Our study has the following programmatic implications: first, the protein deficiency among the school children in the age group 9 to 14 is considerably high. Second, it is imperative to evaluate the quality of food distributed to the schools and children at regular point of time. It is also necessary that the food served to the children should be customized to their taste and it should be locally accepted.