Defaults and thresholds

The numbers the method uses — default values, cut-offs and expected ranges — in one place, grouped by analysis step. Each row says what the number is, whether it applies to RMNCAH analyses, vaccine analyses or both, how the apps use it, and which section of the Countdown methodology explains it.

The values are generated from the apps’ code (cd2030.core), so they are what the apps use. Where the 2024 Countdown vaccination guidebook differs, the methodology page says so.

Generated from cd2030.core 1.2.0 on 2026-09-26.

Data quality

The checks of reporting completeness, outliers and internal consistency, and the overall quality score: Data quality assessment.

What	Value	Applies to	How the app uses it	Method page
District reporting completeness threshold (1b)	90%	Both	Score item 1b is the percentage of districts whose facility reporting rate is at least this value; the app starts at 90% and the Reporting Rate page can change it.	Reporting completeness
Reporting threshold quick picks	70%, 80%, 90%, 95%	Both	The values the Reporting Rate page offers as quick picks for the district reporting threshold.	Reporting completeness
Extreme outlier bound	5 × MAD	Both	A monthly value is an extreme outlier when it lies more than 5 median absolute deviations from its district's median (Hampel X84).	Outlier detection
Outlier baseline years	all years except the latest	Both	The district median and MAD used for the outlier bounds are computed from all years except the latest, so the latest year cannot hide its own outliers.	Outlier detection
Adequate range for consistency ratios	1 – 1.5	Both	A district's consistency ratio (the ratio of its annual totals) is adequate when it is between 1 and 1.5 inclusive.	Ratio calculations
Consistency ratios checked	anc1/penta1, penta1/penta3	Both	The internal consistency ratios checked for every indicator group (numerator/denominator).	Internal consistency
Consistency ratios added for immunization	opv1/opv3	Vaccine	The consistency ratios added to the common ones when the indicator group is vaccine.	Internal consistency
ANC1/Penta1 expected ratio multiplier	1.07	Both	The expected anc1/penta1 ratio is multiplied by this factor to allow for mortality between the first antenatal visit and the first Penta dose.	Ratio calculations
Assumed anc1 coverage for expected ratios	0.98	Both	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed anc1 coverage of 98% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Assumed penta1 coverage for expected ratios	0.97	Both	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed penta1 coverage of 97% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Assumed penta3 coverage for expected ratios	0.89	Both	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed penta3 coverage of 89% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Assumed opv1 coverage for expected ratios	0.97	Vaccine	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed opv1 coverage of 97% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Assumed opv3 coverage for expected ratios	0.78	Vaccine	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed opv3 coverage of 78% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Assumed pcv1 coverage for expected ratios	0.97	Vaccine	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed pcv1 coverage of 97% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Assumed rota1 coverage for expected ratios	0.96	Vaccine	When no survey coverage is supplied, calculate_ratios_summary() builds the expected ratios from an assumed rota1 coverage of 96% (the app passes the country's survey estimates instead).	Ratio calculations
Overall score components (RMNCAH)	1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3c, 3d	RMNCAH	The annual data quality score is the mean of these rows of the overall score table: reporting, completeness, outliers and the share of districts with adequate ratios.	Overall quality score
Overall score components (immunization)	1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3f, 3g, 3h	Vaccine	The annual data quality score is the mean of these rows of the overall score table: reporting, completeness, outliers and the share of districts with adequate ratios.	Overall quality score

Data adjustment

The adjustment for incomplete reporting (the factor $k$ ), low reporting rates and extreme outliers: Data adjustment.

What	Value	Applies to	How the app uses it	Method page
Completeness adjustment factor k (default adjustment)	0.25	Both	adjust_service_data(adjustment = "default") uses k = 0.25 for every indicator group (anc, idelv, pnc, vacc, opd, ipd).	Configuring the k-factor
Starting k in the app	0	Both	A new dataset starts with k = 0 for every indicator group, so the app adjusts nothing until the user picks a k on the Data Adjustment page.	Configuring the k-factor
k values offered	0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1	Both	The k values the Data Adjustment page offers for each indicator group.	Configuring the k-factor
Reporting rate cutoff	75%	Both	Before adjusting, a reporting rate below 75% (or missing) is replaced by the district's median reporting rate.	Critical data threshold rules
Reporting rates used for the replacement median	75% – 100%	Both	The replacement median is taken over the district's reporting rates between 75% and 100% inclusive.	Critical data threshold rules
Outliers replaced after adjustment	5 × MAD	Both	After the k adjustment, values more than 5 MAD from the district's median monthly value (baseline: all years except the latest) are replaced by the median of the district's other (non-outlier) months in the same year; missing months get the district's median for that year.	Summary of data adjustment business rules

Denominators

The assumptions behind the derived denominators and the checks of the population projections: Denominator assessment and selection.

What	Value	Applies to	How the app uses it	Method page
Neonatal mortality rate	0.025	Both	Default neonatal mortality rate (2.5%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
Post-neonatal mortality rate	0.024	Both	Default post-neonatal mortality rate (2.4%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
Stillbirth rate	0.02	Both	Default stillbirth rate (2%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
Twin rate	0.015	Both	Default twin rate (1.5%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
Pregnancy loss rate	0.03	Both	Default pregnancy loss rate (3%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
ANC1 survey coverage	0.98	Both	Default ANC1 survey coverage (98%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
Penta1 (DTP1) survey coverage	0.97	Both	Default Penta1 (DTP1) survey coverage (97%) of calculate_indicator_coverage() when no rate is supplied; the rate it is given also fills in regions the survey has no value for.	Computing the derived denominators
Survey year	2019	Both	Default survey year in calculate_indicator_coverage(); the app uses the year of the country's latest survey.	Computing the derived denominators
Starting twin and pregnancy loss rates in the app	0.015, 0.03	Both	A new dataset starts with a twin rate of 1.5% and a pregnancy loss rate of 3%; neonatal, post-neonatal and stillbirth rates come from the survey.	Computing the derived denominators

Coverage

National coverage and its comparison with surveys and targets: National coverage.

What	Value	Applies to	How the app uses it	Method page
Vaccine coverage target (national)	90%	Both	At national level a vaccine (BCG, Penta3, measles1) reaches the target when its coverage is at least this value.	Target values
ANC4 coverage target	70%	RMNCAH	Units reach the ANC4 target when their coverage is at least this value.	Target values
Institutional live births coverage target	80%	RMNCAH	Units reach the institutional live births target when their coverage is at least this value.	Target values
Dropout rate target	10%	Vaccine	Units meet the dropout target (Penta1-Penta3, Penta3-measles1) when their dropout rate is below this value.	Target values
High performer threshold (other indicators)	80%	Both	CacheConnection$get_high_performers() lists the units at or above this coverage for indicators without a specific target.	Target values

Subnational

Subnational coverage, inequality and the coverage targets: Subnational analysis.

What	Value	Applies to	How the app uses it	Method page
Vaccine coverage target (regions and districts)	80%	Both	Below national level a vaccine (BCG, Penta3, measles1) reaches the target when its coverage is at least this value.	Target values

Mortality

Institutional mortality, its plausibility checks and the completeness of death reporting: Mortality.

What	Value	Applies to	How the app uses it	Method page
Very low institutional MMR	25 per 100,000 live births	RMNCAH	A unit whose institutional maternal mortality ratio is below this value is flagged as very low, a sign of under-reported deaths.	Considerations for iMMR
Very low institutional stillbirth rate	6 per 1,000 births	RMNCAH	A unit whose institutional stillbirth rate is below this value is flagged as very low, a sign of under-reported stillbirths.	Considerations for iSBR
Completeness ratios compared	0.5, 1, 1.5, 2	RMNCAH	The completeness ratios at which the institutional mortality is compared with the UN estimates.	Evaluation scenarios and interpretation