Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The main service provider for childhood immunization in Sri Lanka
is the government sector. However, utilization of private sector for childhood
immunization is increasing rapidly. Existing national immunization data does not routinely
include statistics on private sector immunization delivery adequately. OBJECTIVE: To
estimate the proportion of children immunized in the private sector; describe sociodemographic characteristics of private sector users and compare these with government
sector users. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based crosssectional
descriptive study was conducted using a pre-tested interviewer-administered structured
questionnaire. This was done in the Colombo municipal council area using the WHO
30 cluster methodology. The total number of households in the sample was 553.
RESULTS: Out of the 5,028 total immunizations reported in the present study, around
one-third (2,544) was obtained through the private sector. Nineteen percent (104) of
children were exclusively immunized from the private sector. The distribution of usual
immunization provider was - government sector 72.3% (400) and private sector 27.7%
(153). Significant differences were observed (P < 0.001) between private and
government sector users with regard to family income, social class, ethnicity, religion
and educational level of the mother. The age-appropriate immunization among the
12- to 23-month age group was 92.3% (144) in the government sector, whereas it
was 95% (38) in the private sector. Among the 24- to 35-month age group, it was
91.7% (121) and 92.7% (76) respectively. The age-adjusted immunization coverage rates
were almost same among the government and private sector users except for the
measles vaccine, where the private sector users had significantly (P = 0.016) higher
coverage. CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of private sector immunization services is high
in the Colombo municipal council area
