ABSTRACT

Immunization has become an important factor in improving the general state of public health in the present day. Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening childhood infectious diseases and this stimulates the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.However, it is common knowledge that despite the efforts already being made to improve its rate and quality, certain limitations have come into play to hinder or limit the widespread coverage of immunization in Nigeria amongst children, which inevitably has led to a higher rate of child mortality. Over two million deaths are prevented through immunization each year worldwide. Despite this fact, Vaccine Preventable Diseases remain the most common cause of childhood mortality with an estimated three million deaths each year. The current survey by the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 70.49 of every 1000 children born in Nigeria, dies before attaining the age of five, with male mortality rate being higher than their female counterparts/1000 live births.

This was a mixed method study comprising a descriptive, cross-sectional community-based arm and a qualitative arm comprising of focus group discussions and in depth interviews. This study was carried out in the three senatorial districts of Edo State, Southern Nigeria between November 2018 and January 2020. The study population were children aged 11 – 23 months.

Of the 513 children that participated in this study, 258 (50.3%) were females. The children were predominantly in the age range 12 – 15 months which was 252 (49.1%), birth order showed majority of the children 152 (29.6%) were second-born children. Antenatal care was had for 433 (84.4%) of the children, with 188 (43.4%) of mothers making between 7 – 9 visits in last pregnancy. Place of antenatal care was health facility, 367 (84.8%), while place of delivery was also health facility, 444 (86.5%). The demographic data of the caregivers showed that majority of the caregivers, 301 (58.7%) were in the age group 21 – 30 years, 456 (88.9%) married, 421 (82.1%) were Christians, while 108 (21.1%) were Etsako by tribe and 285 (55.6%) were traders. Majority of the caregivers 234 (45.6%) highest level of education was secondary school, majority of their spouses 234 (45.6%) were traders, and 219 (42.7%) of the spouses also had secondary level of education.

The immunization status of children aged 12 – 23 months in Edo State is poor. Several consumer- and facility-related factors were discovered to have influence on completion of immunization. Majority of the caregivers are unaware of the benefits of immunization thus frequent health awareness/enlightenment campaign/sensitization should be carried out regularly to correct the myths/cultural beliefs surrounding immunization.

Keywords: Immunization, vaccine, timeliness, mothers/caregiver, children, coverage.