Immunization Rate Up To 70% During 2019-20: Survey

The overall immunization rates in the country has witnessed 70 percent increase during fiscal year (2019-20) as compared to 60 percent in fiscal year (2014-15), according to Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM-2019-20) conducted by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jul, 2021 ) :The overall immunization rates in the country has witnessed 70 percent increase during fiscal year (2019-20) as compared to 60 percent in fiscal year (2014-15), according to Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM-2019-20) conducted by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The immunization rates include 11 recommended vaccines based on record, The PSLM District Level Survey 2019-20 results revealed.

Regarding the urban and rural comparison, the immunization rates for urban areas has increased to 73 percent in 2019-20 as compared to 70 percent in 2014-15 whereas rural areas 69 percent in 2019-20 as compared to 56 percent in 2014-15.

Meanwhile, among provinces Punjab with 81 percent in 2019-20 has the highest percentage of children who are fully immunized based on record as compared to 70 percent in 2014-15.

This was followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 69 percent, Sindh with 52 percent and Balochistan immunization rate increased to 35 percent in 2019-20 while as compared to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 58 percent, Sindh with 45 percent, 45 percent with 27 percent in 2014-15 respectively.

The survey showed that immunization rates, based on recall and record, is 81 percent in 2019-20 as compare to 82 percent in 2014-15.

Islamabad increased to 96 percent in 2019-20 as compare to 90 percent in 2014-15 while analysing the district level pattern, Gujrat with 99 percent in Punjab, Dadu with 93 percent in Sindh, Malakand with 100 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Shaheed Sikandarabad with 91 percent in Balochistan are the top ranked districts.

Similarly, Pakpattan with 75 percent in Punjab, Tharparkar with 35 percent in Sindh, North Waziristan with 37 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kohlu with 0 percent in Balochistan are the bottom ranked.

Having a look at record based measure, the visible increase is seen in all antigens at provincial level as compared to 2014-15, however coverage of measles vaccination with 67 percent in 2019-20 as compared to 61 percent in 2014-15 is still very low as compared to other vaccinations.

Besides this, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa results indicate relatively higher increase than other provinces.

Bahawalnagar in Punjab, Jacobabad in Sindh, and South Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kohlu in Balochistan have lowest coverage of all antigens within their respective provinces.

Measles coverage is highest in Punjab with 83 percent followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 70 percent, Sindh with 54percent and Balochistan with 39 percent antigen wise based on record.

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