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Hindi Research Article
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Stakeholders Towards Immunization in Borno State, Nigeria: A Qualitative Approach
Babatunji A Omotara1*, Tamunoibuomi F Okujagu2, Samuel O Etatuvie3, Omeiza Beida4 and Eric Gbodossou5
1Department of Community Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
2Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
3Prometra Nigeria Chapter C/O Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
4Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria
4Prometra International, Nigeria
- Corresponding Author:
- Dr. Babatunji A Omotara
Professor
Department of Community Medicine
College of Medical Sciences
University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
Tel: +2348036142120
E-mail: atunjeba@yahoo.com
Received Date: October 09, 2012; Accepted Date: October 17, 2012; Published Date: October 19, 2012
Citation:Omotara BA, Okujagu TF, Etatuvie SO, Beida O, Gbodossou E (2012) Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Stakeholders Towards Immunization in Borno State, Nigeria: A Qualitative Approach. J Community Med Health Educ 2:181. doi: 10.4172/2161-0711.1000181
Copyright: © 2012 Omotara BA, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Background: Vaccine preventable diseases remain one of the major causes of illnesses and deaths among children in Nigeria and this country is one of the few remaining countries in the world where polio is still endemic. Though routine immunization coverage has improved since 2003, Nigeria’s coverage is still one of the lowest in the world. Nigeria accounts for half of the deaths from Measles in Africa, the highest prevalence of circulating wild poliovirus in the world, and the country is among the ten countries in the world with vaccine coverage rates below 50 percent, having been persistently below 40 percent since 1997. Borno state has one of the lowest coverage in the country. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of stakeholders in Borno state towards immunization with the view of intervening to improve acceptance.
Method: Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used to collect information from the various stakeholders in 18 selected Local Government Areas of Borno representing both rural and urban areas.
Result: All stakeholders were aware of immunization and its benefits as well as the routes and schedule of administration. Different groups have different traditional alternatives to immunization. Majority indicated that they accept immunization and allow their children to receive it. However, lack of adequate information about logistics and time of immunization programme, inadequate involvement of traditional and religious leaders and poor attitude of health workers were reasons for not fully supporting immunization program in some communities. Mothers looked forward to incentives for bringing their children for immunization in terms of soap and complimentary health care services.
Conclusion: Advocacy through involvement of traditional, religious leaders and community leaders in the planning and implementation of immunization exercise should be intensified in all communities. The integration of traditional medical practitioners is also deemed important.
