Childhood immunization in Nigeria: factors influencing noncompliance

Abstract

The challenges facing childhood immunization coverage, coupled with the dramatic resurgence of preventable diseases suggest that current strategies to ensure positive result in national immunization programmes in Nigeria needs to be examined. Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions to date, saving millions of lives and protecting countless children from illness and disability. Despite the availability of vaccines to tackle preventable childhood diseases, they remain endemic in the sub-Saharan region including Nigeria. This paper seeks to investigate the factor influencing childhood immunization noncompliance among the nursing mothers in Nigeria and Suggest possible way out. Numerous studies have shown that some of these factors responsible for immunization noncompliance are parent socio-demographic characteristics such as level of education on the issues of vaccination/immunization, occupation, cultural beliefs, traditions among others age of parents, parental economic status, and health related factors. Immunization remains a major way to reduce child mortality and morbidity in Nigeria, although availability and high immunization coverage may not be enough to ensure effective childhood immunization exercise. Based on the findings of these studies. It is recommended that the Nigerian government should intensify efforts in ensuring the effectiveness of childhood immunization. The following approach are suggested towards solving childhood immunization problem, Legislative approach, Economic approach, Religious approach, Basic education for the nursing mothers.