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10.12 VACCINATION COVERAGE
Universal immunization of children from six vaccine-preventable diseases (namely, tuberculosis,
diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, and measles) is crucial in reducing infant and child
mortality. Differences in vaccination coverage among subgroups of the population are of great assistance
for program planning. Additionally, information on immunization coverage is important for the
monitoring and evaluation of the expanded programs on immunization (EPI).
The survey collected information on vaccination coverage for all living children born in the five
years preceding the survey. According to the guidelines developed by the World Health Organization,
children are considered fully vaccinated when they have received a vaccination against tuberculosis
(BCG), three doses each of the DPT and polio vaccines, and a measles vaccination by the age of 12
months. BCG should be given at birth or at first clinical contact, DPT and polio require three vaccinations
at approximately 4, 8, and 12 weeks of age, and measles should be given at or soon after reaching 9
months of age.
Information on vaccination coverage was collected in two ways: from vaccination cards shown
to the interviewer and from mothers’ verbal reports. If the cards were available, the interviewer copied
the vaccination dates directly onto the questionnaire. The respondent was asked to recall the vaccines
given to her child when there was no vaccination card for the child or if a vaccine had not been recorded
on the card as being given. Table 10.13 and Figure 10.2 show the percentage of children age 12-23
months who have received the various vaccinations by source of information, that is, from vaccination
card or mother’s report. This is the youngest cohort of children who have reached the age by which they
should be fully vaccinated. Twelve percent of children are fully vaccinated by 12 months of age, 41
percent have received the BCG vaccination, and 21 percent have been vaccinated against measles. While
the coverage for the first dose of DPT is relatively high (40 percent), only 18 percent of children age 12-
23 months received the third dose of DPT by 12 months, a 55 percent decline. Even though DPT and
polio vaccines are often administered at the same time, polio coverage is much higher
Table 10.13 Vaccinations by source of information
Percentage of children 12-23 months who had received specific vaccines at any time before the survey, by source of
information (vaccination card or mother's report), and percentage vaccinated by 12 months of age, Ethiopia 2000
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Percentage of children who received:
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DPT Polio 1
Source of
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information BCG DPT1 DPT2 DPT3 Polio0 Polio1 Polio2 Polio3 Measles All 2 None Number
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Vaccinated at any time
before the survey
Vaccination card 23.9 26.5 21.2 16.5 10.4 26.5 23.2 18.0 17.1 11.9 0.0 579
Mother's report 21.7 17.9 10.6 4.2 1.8 56.2 40.0 16.5 9.5 2.4 16.6 1,564
Either source 45.6 44.4 31.7 20.7 12.1 82.7 63.2 34.6 26.6 14.3 16.6 2,143
Vaccinated by
12 months of age 3 40.7 39.8 28.1 18.1 12.1 74.4 55.3 30.4 20.6 12.0 24.6 2,143
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1 Polio 0 is the polio vaccination given at birth.
2 Children who are fully vaccinated, i.e., those who have received BCG, measles, and three doses of DPT and polio vaccine
(excluding polio vaccine given at birth).
3 For children whose information was based on the mother's report, the proportion of vaccinations given in the first year of
life was assumed to be the same as for children with a written record of vaccination.
Maternal and Child Health * 127