Abstract:
Background: Immunization is reported to be the most efficient and cost effective in reducing the
burden of infectious diseases. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 1.9million of
the 2.5million (76%) vaccine preventable worldwide deaths among children aged less than five years
occurred in Africa or South East Asia. Vaccination prevents an estimated 2.5 million deaths each
year. Routine immunization coverage has not reached the target figures and realized the planned
objectives in Ethiopia including the study area. However, little is known about immunization
coverage and associated factors among immunization eligible children in low-income countries like
Ethiopia.
Materials and methods: A community based cross-sectional study design supplemented with
qualitative inquiry was used. A total of randomly selected 344 children aged 12-23 months along
with their mothers from the selected kebeles were included in the study. Data entry was done using
EPI Info version 3.5.1 computer software and exported to SPSS version 16 for further analysis. Data
were analyzed using bivariable logistic regression along with 95%Ci to identify independent factors
associated with immunization coverage. Odds ratio along with 95%CI was estimated to control for
all possible confounders using multivariable logistic regression. Level of statistical significance was
decleared at p- value less than 0.05.
Results: Out of 344 children aged 12-23 months selected for this study, 78.8% of them were ever
taken one or more of the eight recommended vaccine and 21.2% were unvaccinated. Also, 34.6%
children were fully vaccinated and 44.2% of them took one or more vaccine but did not finish the
recommended doses. Immunization coverge was significantly associated with being male [AOR =
1.787 (95% CI = 1.08, 2.97)], family size [AOR = 2.602 (95% CI = 1.526, 4.437)], antenatal care
attendance [AOR = 1.930 (95% CI = 1.106, 3.370)] and knowledge of mothers [AOR = 3.544 (95%
CI = 2.130, 5.896)].
Conclusion and recommendation: Immunization coverage in the study area is low. Most children
were ever taken one or more of the eight recommended vaccine the Immunization status of fully
vaccinated children in the woreda is very low as compared to the national coverage. The qualitative result
showed bad attitude and lack of anti pyretics for side effect treatment were part of the main reason for not
immunizing as well as defaulting. The Regional Health Bureau with the Woreda health office should
establish and promote an extensive health education programme to raise the level of awareness by
designing proper strategy targeting the mothers/caretakers on benefit of immunization
