ECONOMICS OF HEALTH CARE: A CROSS SECTION ANALYSIS OF CHILD IMMUNIZATION IN DARJEELING

Immunization Programmes aim to reduce morbidity and mortality among the children due to vaccine preventable diseases. Vaccination against some of the most fatal diseases is one of the most cost-effective interventions of modern time. Following successful eradication of Smallpox by effective vaccination in 1975, the expanded programme of immunization was launched in India in 1978 to control other vaccine preventable diseases. Initially six diseases were selected for vaccination: Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Typhoid and Childhood Tuberculosis. Even after 65 years of independence in India there are a huge number of people in rural areas who live in abject poverty are lacking of health services and their children are also suffering from various vaccine preventable diseases.Considering the extent of inconsistencies and instabilities in immunization coverage, it is very important to know the gaps in coverage. Keeping in mind these evidences, the main objective of this study is to identify the most vulnerable groups for immunization coverage and to identify the gaps in immunization coverage with respect to socio-cultural and socio-economic variables. In this paper we will describe in detail the child immunization status of some selected blocks in Darjeeling district.