26-11-21 Daily-Punjab-PPSC Current Affairs

The gains made on the vaccination front over the years have been squandered with the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) showing a drop of 13 per cent in the past five years in the state.

According to the survey, the number of children (aged 12-23 months), who were vaccinated with BCG, measles, three doses each of polio (excluding polio vaccine given at birth) and DPT or Penta Vaccines, witnessed a 13 per cent drop as compared to the last survey. The number, which was 89 per cent in the NFHS-4 (2015-16), has come down to 76 per cent.

In the area-wise breakup of vaccination, interestingly the rural areas have fared better than the urban areas. In the rural areas, 77.9 per cent children were vaccinated, but it was 76.2 per cent in the urban areas.

As far as the breakup of vaccination provider is concerned, around 91 per cent children received their vaccinations in public health facilities. However, eight per cent received most of their vaccinations in private health facilities.