title: Sensitivity of neonatal tetanus surveillance system in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the sensitivity of neonatal tetanus (NNT) surveillance in India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comparison of two sets of data obtained from NNT mortality surveys and routine surveillance system.
  
  
  METHODS
  NNT mortality surveys were undertaken in 1981, 1989 and 1992 using 30 cluster sampling technique. The data on reported incidence of NNT through routine surveillance system was taken from the published documents of Health Ministry and WHO.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 1981, the incidence of disease in a national survey was estimated to be 4 and 16.4 per 1000 live births in urban and rural areas, respectively. Follow up surveys in 1989 and 1992 estimated the overall incidence as 4 and 1.74 per 1000 live births, respectively. Comparing the reported and estimated by surveys, around 10% of NNT cases were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an urgent need to strengthen the routine surveillance system which at present grossly under-reports the NNT incidence in India.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009026:Mortality; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013742:Tetanus / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*