This was discovered during a recent state-wide study conducted by the Population Research Centre of the M S University in various rural and urban slums of the state. This is the second such study the centre has undertaken in three years. Additional Director of the Centre M M Gandotra told Express Newsline, ``Although the State has conceived a complete immunisation programme along World Health Organisation guidelines, results indicate there has been only a two per cent rise in child immunisation since 1995, not only in the rural areas but also in the urban slums.''

While 61 per cent of the children belonging to rural areas have been immunised, only 54 per cent of urban children can claim to be protected against childhood disease; figures that make it unlikely the State will achieve its target of eradicating childhood diseases, including polio, chicken pox and hepatitis, by the turn of the century.

While these figures are nothing to write home about, focus was also necessary on sub-groups, Gandotra said. ``The girl-child needs special attention, as their immunisation coverage is scanty compared to the boys''.

Apart from immunisation, the State Programme of Action for the Child (SPAC) and the Child Survival and Safe Motherhood (CSSM) schemes in the rural and urban areas also covered malnutrition and pregnancy, Gandotra said. These aspects, too, were none too encouraging, he said, adding that malnutrition was common among urban slum children than rural children.