Descriptive study on Awareness and utilization of Mission Indradhanush in urban slums of kalaburagi, Karnataka

Abstract

Background: Mission Indradhanush was launched in December 2014 to achieve more than 90% full immunizationcoverage in the country by the year 2020. The Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) was launched in October 2017 forreaching the drop-out and left-out children for immunization. Recently IMI 3.0 has been launched, “Focus of the IMI 3.0were the children and pregnant women who have missed their vaccine doses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In urbanareas, a large group of vulnerable population lives in slums, where mothers are illiterate and have numerous myths aboutvaccination; this results in children being unimmunized and increased susceptibility to diseases.Methodology: A descriptive, community based, cross sectional study was conducted for a period of two months i.e inthe month of Feb. and March 2021, among the residents of slums of urban field practice area (Manikeshwari) of GulbargaInstitute Of Medical Sciences, Kalaburgi, Kanataka. A preformed, pretested, semi-structured questionnaire was used tocollect information regarding Socio-demographic data of respondents, Immunization status of children and Knowledgeregarding Mission Indradhanush and Immunization.Results: Out of 200 children included in the study 81.5% of the children were completely vaccinated according to their age.Statistically significant association was seen between father’s occupation and socioeconomic status with the immunizationstatus of children. 46% of the respondents told that they had heard the word Mission Indradhanush, and the source ofinformation was from the health care workers (60.9%) followed by friends (35.9%). A total of 77.1% of the respondents hadan adequate knowledge about Mission Indradhanush and immunization. Sex of the child, religion, literacy status of fatherand occupation of father had a significant association with knowledge about MI and immunization.Conclusion: Our study concludes that immunization coverage is satisfactory. Of the 200 participants only 92 respondentstold that they had heard of the word “Mission Indradhanush, hence there is need for strengthening of Information,Education, Communication (IEC) activities regarding the program—Mission Indradhanush.