Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populated state, has faired poorly in the children immunisation programme with only 23% of the kids there being fully protected from deadly diseases.
According to the National Family Health Survey figures, Uttar Pradesh also tops the states with the highest number of deaths among children below five years of age.
"According to the NFHS latest survey, only 23% children in the age category of 12-13 months till date in Uttar Pradesh have beenfully immunised against all diseases," Jaykumar Christian, National Director of World Vision India- an NGO dealing with children health, said.
She said, "This is too less compared to states like Tamil Nadu where more than 80% children in the same age category have already been fully immunised," Christian said.
Bihar is slightly better placed at 32.8 while in Madhya Pradesh the figure is 40.3The other states which are ahead are Gujarat(45.2), Andhra Pradesh(46), Maharashtra (58.8), West Bengal (64.3), Kerela(75.3) and Tamil Nadu(80.9).
Christian said 96.4% deaths in children below five years of age have been reported from UP.
"The highest number of polio cases have been reported this state. Some urgent action should be undertaken to save children against preventable deaths," she said.
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