PROJECT ON AWARENESS OF EXPANDED PROGRAM FOR IMMUNIZAION
ABSTRACT
Vaccines — which protect against disease by inducing immunity — are
widely and routinely administered around the world based on the common-sense
principle that it is better to keep people from falling ill than to treat them
once they are ill. All vaccines used for routine immunization are very
effective in preventing disease, although no vaccine attains 100%
effectiveness. More than one dose of a vaccine is generally given to increase
the chance of developing immunity. Vaccines are very safe, and side effects are
minor ─ especially when compared to the diseases they are designed to prevent.
Serious complications occur rarely.
The aim of the study was to determine the awareness of vaccination among
people and vaccination status of infants and pregnant women. A study was
conducted randomly in different areas of Lahore. The heads of family were
consented for interview through a structured Performa. During our visit in
these areas we came across people with different mentalities and lifestyle. The
results are collected and shown through pie chart revealing the relative
awareness about vaccination among people. The failure in vaccination and reason
were also noted. Success of vaccination was 81.60%. Knowledge of preventive
health and vaccination among people was at high rate. Results show that
percentage of awareness of EPI and vaccination during pregnancy was at low
rate. Effective measures are needed to raise the vaccination status up to 100%.
DISCUSSION:
Vaccination status of
children was excellent .Parents who believed in vaccination of their children
rather have no knowledge of EPI and its vaccination schedule. Only 5 % parents
believed that vaccination is not beneficial for health and 6.30% of them have
apprehension and fear about vaccination procedures just because of their
religious views and improper storage facilities for vaccines. Considering 95%
parents results’ it appears that they encouraged EPI in Pakistan however they
did not have complete knowledge of EPI program but they think vaccination as “MEDICINE FOR PROPHYLAXIS OF DISEASES FOR
THEIR CHILDREN”. They have knowledge of why preventive health is necessary
for us.Toxoid coverage is 12.30% because women discouraged vaccination during
pregnancy as they have the perception that vaccinations would be harmful during
pregnancy; other reasons include vaccination centers at distant places,
socioeconomic factors, harm to fetus and lack of education. Success of
immunization and Polio eradication rate was 81.60%, 78% respectively, which was
quite satisfactory but failure include many reasons including mother being
busy, laziness of parents, minor sickness of child, lack of faith in immunization
program. Families’ belonging to lower class usually don’t follow such health
associated programs. Role of government in vaccination of community was 69%.
Reasons behind such failure were short supply of vaccines, improper storage
conditions and carelessness of health workers. Other causes include forgetting
schedule of EPI and baseless beliefs about it. Hospital nurses, doctors and
pharmacists had played an important role in educating people about EPI. They
proved to be good counselors for families in EPI programs.
It is concluded that
education plays an important role for increasing success rate of EPI.
Socioeconomic status of families is also a major factor in failure of complete
immunization in community. Parents should be educated about EPI and EPI
schedule. Counseling of parents is also necessary to change their awkward
thinking, apprehensions or fear about vaccination. Proper storage facilities
should be provided for vaccines. There should be regular visit of EPI team
along with POLIO team for the better health of pregnant women, as the tetanus
and toxoid coverage is closely associated with child’s vaccination status
.Effective measures are needed for EPI success rate to reach up to 100%.
