Understanding caregivers’ and community influencers’ perspectives on the barriers to childhood immunisation in Northern Nigerian States with public-private partnerships in routine immunisation programme

Background Despite investments by the Nigerian government and international organisations in childhood immunisation to combat child mortality, coverage in many northern states remains below the national average, thereby increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. This paper examines the bar...

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Published in:BMC public health Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 1471 - 10
Main Authors: Etim, Eno-Obong E., Odiachi, Angela, Dougherty, Leanne, Alabi, Matthew, Adetunji, Adetayo, Adedimeji, Adebola
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London BioMed Central 21.04.2025
BioMed Central Ltd
Springer Nature B.V
BMC
Subjects:
Accountability
Adult
Barriers
BCG
BCG vaccines
Beliefs, opinions and attitudes
Biostatistics
Capacity development
Caregivers
Caregivers - psychology
Children
Children & youth
Collaboration
Community
COVID-19 vaccines
Data collection
Discordance
Dosage and administration
Employees
Environmental Health
Epidemiology
Female
Focus Groups
Funding
Health aspects
Health care facilities
Health facilities
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Immunisation
Immunization
Immunization Programs
Male
Measles
Medical personnel
Medical research
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Medicine, Experimental
Methods
Middle Aged
Mortality
Nigeria
Non-adopters
Northern Nigeria
Pandemics
Partial adopters
Practice
Public Health
Public private partnerships
Public-private sector cooperation
Public-Private Sector Partnerships
Qualitative Research
Side effects
Social interactions
Supply chains
Vaccination
Vaccine
Vaccine hesitancy
Vaccines
Viral vaccines
Young Adult
Nigeria
Caregivers
Partial adopters
Northern Nigeria
Non-adopters
Barriers
Immunisation
ISSN:1471-2458, 1471-2458
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Background Despite investments by the Nigerian government and international organisations in childhood immunisation to combat child mortality, coverage in many northern states remains below the national average, thereby increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. This paper examines the barriers to immunisation in six states in northeast and northwest Nigeria, which have the lowest vaccination coverage rates in the country. Method We conducted 24 focus group discussions (FGDs) with mothers/caregivers and community influencers who collaborate with health workers to provide routine immunisation. The socio-ecological framework informed the design of the FGDs. We thematically analysed inductively and deductively coded data on NVivo version 12. Results Barriers to immunisation uptake included: Individual and interpersonal level - limited female mobility, adverse events after immunisation; community level - misconceptions and myths about vaccines, religious beliefs and norms, health provider-patient gender discordance, mistrust of immunisation; system level - poor health worker attitude, ineffective documentation of immunisation appointments, distance to health facilities, inadequate human resource capacity at health facilities, vaccine supply shortages, and lack of incentives. Conclusion This study highlights the intricate barriers to immunisation uptake in northern Nigeria. Key recommendations include engaging male caregivers through tailored social and behavioural change initiatives and capacity building for health workers to improve their counselling skills on vaccine side effects. Findings from the study provide valuable insights for policymakers and programme implementers. Implementing these interventions can tackle ongoing challenges and improve routine immunisation in these states.
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ISSN:1471-2458
1471-2458
DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-22710-7