Abstract

In Indonesia an Expanded Program of Immunization was launched in 1977, recommending that all children receive immunization against six diseases: tuberculosis (BCG), diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT), polio and measles. In efforts to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality, National Mass Immunization Campaigns were carried out in 1996 and 1997 in order to improve the immunization coverage. In the Demographic and Health Survey, immunization information was collected for all children born in the five years before the survey. Immmunization history of children age 12-23 months were analysed discribing the coverage in the second year before the survey. The coverage of BCG immunization had reached 97%, DPT-3 84% and full immunization 69% as recorded on health cards, but according to mothers' information and health cards, the immunization coverage of BCG was 85%, DPT-3 64% and full immunization 54%, because immunization coverage based on mothers' report were considerably lower than those recorded on health cards. Besides the rapid increase of immunization coverage in the rural areas, urban children are still more likely to be immunized than rural children. Hence the discrepancy of immunization coverage between the areas declined. The discrepancy of immunization coverage between Java-Bali and Outer Java-Bali regions had also declined, due to the rapid increase of immunization coverage in the Outer Java-Bali region.