A Spatial - temporal Analysis of Child Immunization in India

Reducing child mortality’ is the fourth goal among eight Millennium Development Goals by United Nations and for this child immunization is found to be the best way to reduce the child mortality in developing countries. Child immunization is also a key strategy to ensure global health security. The main objective of this paper is to examine the temporal changes and spatial patterns of child immunization in India and in different states. This study is based on the NFHS (National Family Health Survey) round I, II and III (from the year 1992 to 2006). For fulfilling the objectives, trend analyses and GIS mapping have been used. Although India as a whole is showing improvement in immunization coverage in each successive NFHS rounds, but this trend is not visible at micro level. The state Gujarat is declining in child immunization from NFHS I to III continuously. Southern states of India are showing high level of child immunization. Mizoram is the only state from north- east region which shows high level of immunization in urban areas. Examination of NFHS-3 data also reveals that immunization has very clear spatial patterns in the country. Southern state Tamil Nadu is reflecting high level of child immunization followed by Kerala. Himachal Pradesh is revealing better result in northern states of India. On the other hand, Rajasthan, Ut