Health status of hostel dwellers. Part IV. Immunisation of children.

The immunisation status of children (0-5 years) living in the Zones, an urban migrant council-built hostel in Langa, was investigated to examine the effect of migrant labour and related to this, the effect of circular or oscillating migration between Cape Town and the eastern Cape (Transkei/Ciskei) on access to this preventive health care measure. 'Road-to-Health' cards were available for 69.4% of subjects--78.8% for those born in Cape Town and 50.8% for those born in Transkei. Immunisation of 'Road-to-Health' card holders ranged from 71.8% to 95%. The range dropped to 41-79.1% if it was assumed that children without 'Road-to-Health' cards (i.e. without positive proof of immunisation) had not been immunised. Children born in Cape Town have a significantly higher immunisation coverage than children born elsewhere (Transkei accounted for 82.7% of these children). Immunisations administered in Cape Town numbered 80.6%, while 62.6% of subjects were born in Cape Town. In Transkei, payment is required for immunisation, in Cape Town it is free. By implication, cost appeared to be an important reason for low coverage in Transkei. The findings of this study suggested that hostel migrant children who had access to the Cape Town health services through working parents had better immunisation coverage than children at the home-base who seldom or never reached the city.