Some Aspects of Child Health in an Urban Township Lusaka

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Abstract
A random sample of nine of the 235 sections in Lima Ward north of Lusaka have been studied. Eight per cent of 213 households surveyed have been established in the last year. Each household has an average of 5.2 people, but there are nearly 7 people to each house. There were 1118 people seen in these nine sections of whom 48 per cent were under 15 years old, with 20.6 per cent being under 5 years old. Over 22 per cent were women of child-bearing age and only 1.7 per cent admitted to being 55 years or older. The birth rate was 59 per thousand and the death rate 19.7 per thousand. Only three quarters of the total adult population have received any eduction of whom there were many more men than women. There is no difference between the proportions of boys and girls presently at school. There was an estimated child loss of 166.7 per thousand amongst women of parity one to four, and 226.4 per thousand for women of higher parity. Breast feeding usually continues for 18 months or more although 11.7 per cent of children reportedly stopped before a year old. Of 187 children of known immunization status, 81 per cent had received immunization against measles and 70.5 per cent had received at least two doses of poliomyelitis vaccine. Nutritional status was difficult to quantify due to uncertainty of age. Considering weight for age, nearly 18 per cent were below 80 per cent of average; height for age 21.2 per cent were below 90 per cent of average; but as regards weight for height only 1.7 per cent were below 80 per cent of average. This indicates that there is chronic malnutrition to which the children have become adjusted. Using mid-arm circumference measurements, 6.5 per cent of children were less than 80 per cent of average. Measures are being explored to improve the collection of vital statistics in the Ward through co-operation with the Party Officials, and to decrease mortality and morbidity due to diarrhea by instructing the people in the use of oral rehydration salts.