Immunization Coverage of Pregnant Women with Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine in Dormaa East District-Brong Adaro Region, Ghana

Abstract

This paper examines the immunization coverage of Tetanus toxoid vaccine in the Dormaa East District and then assesses the reasons for the low coverage in the district as to whether it is as a result of the attitude of health staff, knowledge of beneficiaries on its importance or the accessibility of the health facilities.

Our findings suggest that, most beneficiaries fail to get immunized due to the reasons that they are not treated well by health workers on their visit to the immunization Centres. The beneficiaries are also unaware of when to be immunized and do not see the relevance of being immunized. Getting access to the vaccination centre is another cause for dropping-out in the course of immunization.

It is recommended to the stakeholders to design and implement appropriate and relevant immunization programmes that will serve to improve EPI service utilization in the Dormaa East District Health Administration by embarking on routine educational campaign at both antenatal and postnatal sessions and child welfare clinics. There is the need to stress on the total number of times mothers need to visit the clinic to complete the immunization and the importance of being immunized.

Also mother’s immunization for tetanus toxoid vaccine should be given equal attention by all health workers just like the immunization for their children during antenatal care attendance.

The health staffs should also try making the beneficiaries feel good when they appear for their service. Enough immunization service centers should be made available close to the various communities to enable the people get quick access to it.

Keywords: maternal and neonatal tetanus, Tetanus Toxoid immunization and regression analysis.