FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE OF CHILDREN IN KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA (L.G.A)

                                         INTRODUCTION

Immunization has been described as the first line of defense against disease, and one of the most effective health advantages available to children.

Despite the awareness and effort in immunization program in Nigeria, the immunization coverage of children is still left behind the peel of expanded program on immunization (EPI) especially in this part of the country, children who are not immunized on time are likely to be from families of low socio-economic status and having low parental educational level.

These factors suggest the need for further investigation into specific population and the identification of barriers within subgroup.

The present study has been undertaken to evaluate the immunization coverage and identify factors affecting children’s immunization during the first year of life in some area

                             STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS     

The prevention of child mortality through immunization is one of the most cost effective and widely applied public health intervention.

The expanded program on immunization (EPI) aims at delivery the primary immunization series to at least 90% of infant.

Among the problems encountered today in expanded programs on immunization (EPI) is the failure to reach an acceptable level of immunization coverage in rapidly growing urban area the incomplete immunization status of a child was significantly associated with young mother, lacking of knowledge about immunization benefit migration of mother, negative perception of vaccine site effect and unavailability of vaccine on appointed immunization date. For incomplete vaccination of the children these include lack of information among parents  mothers literary.

This study was carried out in two political wards of Karu L.G.A namely Karshi I, and Karshi II during the months of February and March 2017 using W.H.O 30 – cluster six children image

In the area. Effort should be made to increase information, education and communication (IEC) in order to educate mothers especially in rural areas. Improvement in female literacy coupled with the reduction in the drop out rate would add to achieve a higher target of immunization among children.