Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE IN JOS NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STAE, NIGERIA

Omale S.*, Anukam N. C., Chris- Otubor G. O., Lomak A. P., Mohammed S. G., Okunlola C. R., Daskut E. and Damun P. A.

Abstract

Introduction: Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) are responsible for an alarming childhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Concerted efforts of WHO and Nigerian government have not yielded the desired results on efficient vaccination coverage and reduction in deaths due to VPD. This study is therefore aimed at evaluating the efficiency of Reaching Every Ward (REW) strategy on immunization coverage in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional household survey of mothers whose children are between 9 months and 18 years of age was carried out with the aim of determining the immunization coverage of Jos North LGA. A separate questionnaire was designed and administered to the health workers who were directly involved with the childhood vaccination exercise. Through the use of Kish-L formula and prevalence of 50%, a total of 400 mothers having children of ages 9 months to 18 years and 50 health professionals were enrolled for the study. Results: 96.8% of children who were administered all the doses of the childhood vaccines within 2 weeks of their appointment date during their routine immunization (RI) and 66% of the vaccination centres vaccinate more than 30 children daily during RI. At the 56 functional PHCs visited it was observed that all the health facilities (100%) had Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), Tetanus Toxoid (TT), Measles, Yellow Fever and Pentavalent Vaccines. Discussion: The result obtained from the vaccine survey in Jos-North LGA indicates that the LGA has the basic childhood vaccines that are required as specified by WHO. The health workers responses showed that all 56 (100%) of the health facilities have the necessary childhood vaccines, these including Measles, BCG, Pentavalent, Yellow Fever vaccine, and Oral Polio Vaccines. The availability of the childhood vaccines in the various vaccination centers gave the mothers an unlimited access to the required childhood vaccines as and when due based on the vaccination schedule. Conclusion: Based on these results it can be concluded that there is a good routine immunization coverage in Jos North LGA, with the children (98.3%) receiving all their childhood immunization.

Keywords: Immunization, Vaccine, Childhood, Morbidity, Mortality, Disease.