With an estimated 337, 000 cases and 270, 000 deaths due to neonatal tetanus each year, tetanus remains a major public health problem in Southeast Asia. Although immunisation coverage of pregnant women with tetanus toxoid and infants with Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus (DPT) has increased, it is clear that immunisation activities must be accelerated to meet the 1990 goal of Universal Child Immunisation and eliminate the needless suffering, disability and death from tetanus.
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