The Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) has said doctors should discuss adverse effects that follow the immunisation of babies with their mothers.
Prof. Beckie Tagbo, Immunisation Lead of PAN, gave the advice during a town hall meeting, titled, “Dissemination of findings from the human-centred workshop on improving the demand, delivery and uptake of routine immunisation in Nigeria,” organised by the association in collaboration with the American Academy of Paediatrics in Abuja.
She said doing so was important to ensure demand for immunisation in the country.
She said a new national survey conducted by PAN and the American Academy of Paediatrics with support of the US-CDC on the experiences and challenges faced by immunisation providers such as nurses, community health extension workers and doctors revealed that doctors have problems discussing adverse effects following immunisation, while vaccinators have problems with off-schedule vaccination. This means mothers bringing their children after their immunisation dates have passed or some of them not keeping to those dates.
“For the doctors and paediatricians, their major issues were that they were not comfortable discussing the adverse events that follow immunisation with mothers, and if you don’t discuss these things and allay the fears of mothers; if you don’t address safety, demand is going to be low. So, we must address safety, not only scientifically but in communication, “she said.
Prof. Beckie Tagbo who is also the Chair of the World Health Organisation (WHO) African Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety said there is a need to communicate the safety of vaccines to people so that they can be comfortable demanding for the vaccines.
While saying the country has a low immunisation of coverage of 57 per cent, she said it is important for all stakeholders to come together and pilot the interventions so that there can be results.
“It requires everybody’s participation: the government as the chief driver, the development partners, the non-governmental organisations, and the media because we are talking about increasing coverage and demand.”
“Now we just introduced rotavirus vaccines last week, but if you don’t have high coverage, if you like introduce 100 vaccines, it’s not going to have any impact because we need to talk about equity and coverage.
“Now we have moved from 33 per cent coverage from the MICS survey in 2017 to 57 per cent in 2021; that is a huge stride, but it is a far cry from what is expected. We should be getting to 90-95% coverage.
“So, you can see that 57% is still very low. If you want to have an impact on these vaccines, the coverage has to be high, and that is the meat for this dissemination, “Prof. Tagbo, who is also the project lead of the survey said.
Dr. Petronila Tabansi, immediate past secretary pediatric association of Nigeria (PAN), and a consultant paediatrician and paediatric cardiologist at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching hospital said the association held a workshop for the immunisation providers to proffer solutions and a way forward for the challenges.
She said this led to innovative solutions that will help remind mothers of immunisation times and dates, and also help doctors discuss adverse reactions.
Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Adetifa said while the country has made significant progress on routine immunisation, as evidenced in the eradication of Wild Polio Virus, there is a need to increase demand and overcome barriers of hesitancy and other challenges.
