Full immunisation coverage among children in the age group 12-23 months continues to remain a challenge for the health authorities as four out of 10 children did not receive all requisite vaccines in 12 of the 15 States/UT, the latest national health survey released by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said.
At least 6 out of 10 children have received full immunisation in 12 of the 15 States/ Union Territories. In Goa, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Puducherry more than four-fifths of the children have been fully immunised.
Since the last round of National Family Health Survey, the coverage of full immunization among children has increased substantially in the States of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Sikkim, West Bengal and Meghalaya, as per the results of the first phase of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) conducted in 15 States/UTs.
The survey finds that Anaemia remains widespread in the country as more than half of the children in 10 out of 15 States are still anaemic. It also revealed that more than half of women were also found to be anaemic in eleven States and UTs.
However the findings revealed “promising” improvements in maternal and child health and nutrition as has been claimed by the Ministry.
While, infant mortality rates range from a low of 10 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it is as high as 51 deaths per 1,000 live births in Madhya Pradesh, as per the survey released on Tuesday by the Union Health Ministry.
Similarly, the trends show almost all mothers have received antenatal care for their most recent pregnancy and increasing numbers of women are receiving the recommended four or more visits by the service providers.
“More and more women now give birth in health care facilities and rates have more than doubled in some States in the last decade. More than nine in ten recent births took place in health care facilities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, providing safer environments for mothers and new-borns,” said a statement from the Ministry quoting the survey.
Findings for the 13 States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and two Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry have been released. Data collection for the second phase States and Union Territories is currently ongoing.
Overall, women in the first phase States/Union Territories are having fewer children. “The total fertility rate or the average number of children per woman, range from 1.2 in Sikkim to 3.4 in Bihar,” says the release.
Fewer children under five years of age are now found to be stunted, showing intake of improved nutrition. In nine States/Union Territories, less than one-third of children are found too short for their age.