Abstract
IntroductionHigh vaccination coverage is required to successfully control, eliminate and eradicate vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). In Ghana, access complete vaccination coverage is 77%. However, sustaining high coverages in island communities such as Kwahu Afram Plains North (KAPN) is still a challenge.Methods Study site and settings, an Island district. It targeted children aged 12–23 months. We used a modified WHO EPI 30 by 7 cluster sampling approach. Semi-structured questionnaires were employed for data collection. Wincosas and EpiInfo were used for data entry, management and analysis. The vaccination coverage, antigen-specific coverage calculated. The probability was set at 0.05 and the value was calculated to determine statistical significance of association.ResultsOf the 480 records of children analysed, fully vaccinated accounted 81.3%, partially 16.7% and not vaccinated at all 2.1%. Access was 97.3% and utilization 91.2% with Pentavalent 1-3 dropout rate of 8.8%. Coverage for specific antigens were: BCG (97.1%), OPV 1/Pentavalent 1/PCV 1/Rotarix 1 (97.3%), OPV2/ Pentavalent 2/PCV 2/Rotarix 2 (94.0%), OPV3/ Pentavalent3/PCV 3 (88.8%), MR (87.7%) and YF (87.7%). Vaccination card availability, higher educational level of mothers and lower parity levels were significantly associated (p < 0.05) positively with childhood vaccination status. Invalid doses were 21.6% of childhood total vaccinations. Key reasons accounting for non-vaccination were: distant place of immunization 34.4 % (31/90), mother being busy 14.4% (13/90), vaccine unavailability 10.0% (9/90) and fears of side reactions 8.9% (8/90).ConclusionEPI childhood vaccination coverage for January, 2016 in KAPN District was high. There is the need to focus on counteracting the reasons identified to account for vaccination failure. This would improve and sustain vaccination coverage.
Highlights
High vaccination coverage is required to successfully control, eliminate and eradicate vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs)
Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) has led to high vaccination coverages of about 80% for the six major vaccine preventable diseases: pertussis, childhood tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles and diphtheria [1]
WHO reports that an estimated number of 1.5 million deaths among children under-five years occurred in 2008 from diseases that could have been prevented through routine vaccinations
Summary
High vaccination coverage is required to successfully control, eliminate and eradicate vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). Conclusion: EPI childhood vaccination coverage for January, 2016 in KAPN District was high. The World Health Organization, in 1974, initiated the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) as a recommendation from the World Health Assembly (WHA) This was to help member states develop an immunization and surveillance programme against Measles, Poliomyelitis, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus. EPI has led to high vaccination coverages of about 80% for the six major vaccine preventable diseases: pertussis, childhood tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles and diphtheria [1]. WHO reports that an estimated number of 1.5 million deaths among children under-five years occurred in 2008 from diseases that could have been prevented through routine vaccinations These diseases were measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, tetanus, whooping cough/pertussis, poliomyelitis, yellow fever, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B infection [2]. Immunization coverage levels and trends are used to monitor the performance of immunization services locally, nationally and internationally; to guide strategies for the eradication, elimination and control of vaccinepreventable diseases [2,3,4]
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