A STUDY TO ASSESS THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUSPECTED ADVERSE EVENTS FOLLOWING IMMUNISATION REPORTED IN A METROPOLITAN CITY IN INDIA

Introduction:Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) may be considered as major setback to our immunization efforts and can hinder the optimum utilization of the services provided. Around 14% of parents with a past history of facing a suspected AEFI in any of their children are hesitant to accept future immunizations. Our study aims to understand the distribution pattern of suspected AEFI cases during January 2017 and June 2018. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational record-based study in a Metropolitan city in Maharashtra wherein all AEFI reporting forms namely Case Reporting Form (CRF), Preliminary Case Investigation Form (PCIF), and Final Case Investigation Form (FCIF) containing pertinent data on all AEFI cases that occurred from January 2017 to June 2018 were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013 and represented using tables and graphs. Results: The AEFI reporting rate was calculated as 5.8 per 100000 doses administered per year. The total number of AEFIs reported in the year 2017 and 2018 (up to June) were 71 and 58 respectively. 51.16% of the reported AEFIs were febrile seizures, 19.38 % were severe local reactions in the form of abscesses, and 9.3% were afebrile seizures. Twelve deaths were reported during the study period. Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) showed the highest rate of antigen-specific AEFI (13.2/100000 doses administered) while measles vaccine showed the lowest rate (2.7/100000 doses administered). Conclusion:Analyzing the distribution of suspected AEFI cases can aid in identifying causal links to known risk factors, inform the development of preventive measures, and enhance immunization coverage.