The Far North, North and South Regions had low scores of 31, 38 and 35 per cents respectively. Such low results were blamed on prejudices against the vaccination of children. On the other hand, the North West and South West Regions recorded 83 and 75 per cents respectively; which were still below the expected 90 per cent target.
However, to imagine that the vaccines are given free of charge, that they are vital in improving the health of children and in saving lives, it is inconceivable that some parents should be reluctant to vaccinate their babies against diseases.
The Global Health Council noted in its 2009 report that nearly 8.1 million children under five died, mostly from preventable and treatable causes. The report further explained that such children face multiple obstacles, including birth injuries, infectious diseases, malnutrition, home environments that lack intellectual stimulation, and environments with polluted water and air. While neonatal mortality has persisted and currently accounts for 40 per cent of all deaths (4 million) in the first month of life, a systematic follow up of vaccination for babies remains the best bet in protecting them from these health hazards.
Though parents carry the major blame for neglecting the health of their kids by not taking them to vaccination centres, there are other factors which need to be taken into consideration. Local customs and lack of credible information have often contributed in hindering the success of vaccination campaigns in the country.
More over, most communication strategies on the vaccination of children have at times been limited to the mass media, oblivious of the fact that a good portion of the target population is either illiterate or lack the time and means to listen to radio, watch television or read newspapers. A close follow-up with interpersonal communication cannot be underestimated within a context like ours where people are hardly aware of their basic rights. Some are not even informed that the vaccines are free and even when they know, the problems of daily subsistence are often so crucial that only few parents see the vaccination of children as a priority.
Yet the narrowing down of frontiers between individuals and nations has in some cases increased the risk factors that children face. Coupled with this is the level of poverty that a majority of the population faces, which renders children more vulnerable.
Although health experts have argued that at least 6 million child deaths can be prevented each year if affordable health interventions are made available to the mothers and children who need them, it is obvious that if parents fail to rigorously follow the health needs of their new-born babies no amount of state assistance can be effective. After all, the children are too young and thus unable to cater for their own needs. While it would be imperative that parents pay greater attention to the vaccination of their babies, it would also be important that environmental and health inputs combine to encourage parents to have their children vaccinated. Failing which all national and international support towards various vaccination exercises may not give the required results.
