Unlocking the Future: Predicting Malaria Vaccine Uptake and Likely Barriers in Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria vaccination was identified as a major effort to curb the Africa’s challenge of death amongst children under 5. As malaria vaccines are yet to be distributed in Nigeria, there is a debate on their acceptability, accessibility, and barriers to receiving them. This study was conducted to assess the uptake of the malaria vaccination, and its determinants among internet users in Nigeria. An online survey was conducted between July and August 2023 using a semi-structured questionnaire. It was set up using kobotoolbox forms and data were collected online. Data collected were analyzed using GNU PSPP. A total of 399 respondents participated in the study, with a mean age of 43.52 years (± 10.90). The majority of the respondents were young adults. The majority of our respondents (72.9%) have heard of the malaria vaccine while the majority said they would take the malaria vaccine if available (85.2%). The major source of information on the malaria vaccine was the internet (55.4%), health workers (51.9%), and media (Radio/Television/Posters/Billboards/Pamphlets) (44.9%). Malaria vaccination uptake had a significant positive association with the level of education and level of monthly income (p < 0.05 respectively). Lack of availability, information, knowledge, awareness, cost of a malaria vaccine, the long distance to get to vaccination centers were the leading barriers to vaccine uptake. This calls for key stakeholders to ensure that malaria vaccination sensitization is championed immediately in Nigeria and discouragement of the spread of conspiracy theories to eliminate the infodemic associated factors will reduce vaccine hesitancy and thereby increase malaria vaccination uptake in Nigeria. Keywords: Barriers, Determinant, Malaria, Malaria vaccine, Uptake, Vaccine.