Suchergebnisse

A study was conducted at a military station from Dec 2000 to Feb 2001, to study the exact immunisation coverage for six vaccines under Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI Vaccines) and Hepatitis B vaccine and to find out unimmunized children. A house to house search was conducted and all the children below five years of age were included in the sample. Children of officers were excluded from the study. Overall 84.2% children were completely immunized for six EPI vaccines and 22.4% children were found to be immunised against Hepatitis B. The coverage for individual EPI vaccines is BCG (93%), DPT/OPV (91%), Measles (88%), DPT/OPV(B) (83%). The immunization coverage declined progressively for the vaccines given at higher ages from 93% for BCG given at birth, to 83% for DPT/OPV (B) given at 18 months of age. The immunisation coverage increased progressively with rank, being lowest in Sepoys (80.3%) and highest among Junior Commissioned Officers (97%). No statistically significant difference was found between static and field units, and the presence or absence of a Regimental Medical Officer in a unit for the immunization coverage. The study indicates that immunization coverage in the station is satisfactory, however efforts are needed to increase the vaccine coverage in the station.

Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets have been successfully used all over the world to combat malaria. To study the efficacy of these mosquito nets in the service conditions of Armed Forces, a field trial of Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets was carried out at Military Stations 'A' (trial station) and B (control station) between July 96 to June 99. July 96-June 97 was the pretrial year during which base line data was collected for malaria incidence. Three rounds of Deltamethrin impregnation of the mosquito nets were done in the trial station for the actual trial duration (July 97-June 99) in lieu of residual spraying. Antimalaria measures including residual spray were continued as usual in the control station. The intervention led to a significant decline in slide positivity rate and malaria incidence in the trial station. Malaria cases declined by 87% in the trial station whereas the control station noticed an increase by 75% at the end of the trial.