Mother and child service coverage: reproductive and child health programme in Alwar district, Rajasthan state

Present study was conducted to assess the child immunization coverage and availability of safe motherhood intervention services for expecting mothers under RCH programme in Alwar district. WHO-30 cluster sampling method was used and 26 rural and 4 urban clusters were surveyed. Fully immunized children were more in urban areas (82.1%) as compared to rural (45.1%) areas. The immunization coverage was more or less similar in both sexes. BCG and Measles coverage was also higher i.e. 89.3% and 85.7% in urban areas than 69.61%, and 52.2% in rural respectively. High drop out rate was found for DPT (25.3%) and OPV (23.2%) in rural areas as compare to urban (7.70/ each). Failure of immunization in rural areas was mainly due to unawareness of need for immunization (35.4%), mother too busy in 16.8%, place and time not known in 9.7%, place for immunization too far 8.8% and 7.1% each for unaware of need to return for subsequent doses, fear of side reactions and vaccinator absent. TT immunization coverage was mainly through Government source and two third of the mothers were immunized in both urban and rural areas. 71.4% of urban and 36.1% of the rural mothers received ANC >=3. However the iron folic acid supplementation was similar in urban and rural areas. Place of delivery was mainly hospital in urban areas (71.4%) and were home (61.7%) in rural areas. Hospital staff (Govt. or pvt.) conducted 82.1% of the deliveries in urban areas as compared to 58.5% in rural. The ANM/ Health staff (56.4%) and family members (27.0%) were main source of information for mother for the need of mother and child immunization.