Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Inadequate vaccination coverage with increased risk of vaccine preventable disease
outbreaks remain a problem in Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the vaccination coverage levels
under the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in a health area and to identify factors that affect
vaccination coverage in view of providing valuable data for disease prevention.
METHODS: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in August 2017 in the Mbonge health
area, Southwest Cameroon. Clustered sampling technique was used to select study communities and a
purposive sampling design was used to select households. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was
used to obtain information from consenting caregivers of children aged 9–23 months. Vaccination coverage
was assessed by consulting the vaccination cards and parents’ recall. In households with more than one
child aged 9-23months, the youngest was chosen.
RESULTS: Overall, 300 caregivers were enrolled into the study. The average vaccination coverage for
the past three years (2014-2016) was 34.0%. Two hundred and fifty-five (85%) children had vaccination
cards. Amongst the children, 143 (47.7%) had taken all vaccines as recommended while 30 (10%) had
not received a single dose. Factors significantly associated with incomplete vaccination status included:
occupation (being a farmer) (p-value=0.011), marital status (married) (p-value=0.048), caregiver’s utilization
of health facility (p-value=0.003), low levels of mothers’ utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services
(p-value=0.000), and low knowledge on vaccination (p-value=0.000).
CONCLUSION AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: Adequate vaccination coverage can be attained through
good sensitization and health education for primary caregivers. Targeting families living far away from
vaccination centers, using appropriate communication and vaccination strategies may improve vaccination
coverage in the Mbonge Health Area of South West Region, Cameroon.
