Washington: According to a study published by a leading University in America, the children living in rural India have higher vaccination rates when compared to those living in the urban areas. The study is in contrast to the earlier studies which indicate poor development in rural India.
The first of its kind, the study compared the vaccination rates in India across various religious groups. The University of Michigan said that the Immunization rates among the Hindus in better when compared to the majority of the religion in India. It also established a significant fact that the rural children in India are better vaccinated when compared to the urban, a fact contrary to the earlier studies.
The University said that the Urban children in India have a 80 percent chance of not being vaccinated when compared to the children living in rural areas. The report credited the services of the community health workers for educating the rural villages in order to vaccinate their children. “Community and Social health workers have done a good job by spreading the vaccination message in villages”, the report said.
Though India is a leading producer and exporter of Vaccines, only 57 percent of its children aged under 3 are vaccinated, the Times of India reported.
The report said that Sikh children are 14 percent more likely to be vaccinated than the Hindu Children whereas, Muslim Children are 122 percent more likely not to be vaccinated. The report pointed out the social customs and environmental influences as the causes for the decrease of vaccination rates.
