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Assessment of functioning of Pulse Polio Kendras and house to house activity in Delhi: is there any scope for improvement?

A cross sectional study was done to assess the performance of Pulse Polio Immunization Booths on National Pulse Polio Immunization day (NID) observed on 2nd December 2001. 55 booths located in Delhi were visited. House to house visits were made on 5 successive days to assess out-reach activities and hold focus group discussions with workers and mothers of the beneficiaries. Majority of the booths were within walking distance (96.4%) and accessible (94.5%) to the beneficiaries, had adequate trained staff reporting in time (88.5-90.4%), displayed IEC material (89.1%), marked the tally sheets in a correct manner (86.5%) and were administering polio vaccine within acceptable norms. Correct knowledge regarding vaccine vial monitor (VVM) was present among workers of 82.7% booths. The marking of children was not being done correctly in 38.2% booths. Efforts to disseminate key messages of next date of NID and routine immunization schedule, information about the disease and it's impact on life and removal of misconceptions regarding polio was observed to be poor (28.9-48.1%). During house-to-house visits coverage was found to be excellent barring a few isolated cases of unimmunized children due to various reasons. The finding of the study implies increased focus on training of the workers manning these booths, especially on dissemination of key messages and information about early symptoms and signs of polio, removal of misconceptions, correct marking of the children and houses and countering resistance to immunization.