Reward parents who complete children vaccination, experts tell FG
To boost vaccination rates in Nigeria, pediatricians and public health specialists have called on the federal government to implement reward and incentive programs aimed at motivating parents to get their children vaccinated and ensure they finish their full immunization regimen.
The doctors contended that implementing penalties or using force to encourage parents to vaccinate their children will not be effective; instead, this approach could foster opposition and increase reluctance towards vaccines even more.
They emphasized the importance of having the government implement policies that incentivize adherence to vaccination protocols, like tying vaccinations to school registration processes or offering tangible assistance to guardians who ensure their children finish their vaccine routines.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare offer an immunization schedule for children that encompasses various vaccines such as BCG, OPV, DPT, Hepatitis B, Measles, and Yellow Fever.
The timetable provides the suggested timescales for administering these vaccinations, beginning at birth and extending throughout early years of childhood.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in commemoration of this year’s World Immunisation Week, the experts called for targeted health education campaigns, improved access to vaccines in hard-to-reach areas, and stronger collaboration with community influencers, including religious and traditional leaders.
World Immunization Week, observed from April 24 to 30, focuses on emphasizing the collaborative effort required and encourages the usage of vaccines to safeguard individuals of all age groups from various diseases.
In last year's festivities, UNICEF disclosed that approximately 2.2 million Nigerian children fail to receive even a single dose of any vaccines annually.
The global organization expressed significant worry over the high count of unvaccinated children in the nation.
The Nigerian Paediatric Association advocates for comprehensive immunization of all children born in Nigeria as well as those moving into the country. These vaccination guidelines have been developed by specialists from the PAN, working alongside colleagues at UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
In response to the poor vaccination rates, doctors told us in an independent discussion that the reluctance of parents to have their kids inoculated stems from misleading information, cultural views, and obstacles in accessing healthcare services.
They emphasized that using oppressive methods such as detaining uncooperative parents could exacerbate distrust within the healthcare system and be challenging to implement effectively.
Dr. Ayodele Renner, a consultant pediatrician, characterized suggestions to penalize non-vaccination as extreme and impractical. He further noted that these measures might not succeed in a nation where law enforcement resources are scarce and could instead provoke significant opposition from the public.
"Mandating vaccinations enforced through arrests or coercion is not the answer. This approach was ineffective against COVID-19, and it will not be effective now either. Instead, we should provide parents with rewards rather than penalties to motivate them towards getting their children vaccinated," he stated.
The pediatric health specialist pointed out that lack of awareness regarding the advantages of vaccinations, along with the quick dissemination of conspiracy theories—such as concerns that vaccines lead to infertility or aim to reduce Africa’s population—are factors contributing to parents choosing not to immunize their offspring.
"Some parents truly lack awareness about the effectiveness of vaccines, whereas others have fallen prey to unfounded and detrimental misinformation," the doctor clarified.
The pediatrician noted that hard-to-reach vaccination centers in distant regions, combined with inadequate literacy levels and insufficient information provided in local languages, further contribute to the low immunization rates.
He cautioned that unvaccinated children not only face individual health hazards but also endanger communal well-being, since illnesses can swiftly disseminate through educational institutions, marketplaces, and various public areas.
The physician cited instances where unvaccinated children transmitted diseases like meningitis to adults in their households, emphasising that these outbreaks can cost the government billions of naira in response efforts.
He said, “There can be dangers to the child, there can be dangers to the family, and there can be dangers to the community at large. Because to the child itself, we do know that a lot of vaccine-preventable diseases, if they don’t cause death, can cause significant disability that can be lifelong and debilitating. For instance, polio can lead to significant neurological deficits as well as meningitis.
“Meningitis in young children under five can lead to deafness and neurological deficits, including difficulty with movement, which is called cerebral palsy. And that is easy because they’ll come and, you know, die as a result of these vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Now, the vaccine-preventable diseases also take a significant toll on the finances of the family, such that for a parent to have to manage a child that succumbs to a vaccine-preventable disease, whether in hospital or rehabilitation following recovery from the disease, this is a significant strain on the already stretched finances of the average Nigerian family now, and so this can significantly harm the family.
Additionally, children infected with vaccine-preventable illnesses can pass these diseases on to adults whose immunity may have weakened over time. There have been instances where a child transmitted a meningitis-causing bacterium to their parents. If a child tests positive for a specific strain of meningitis, medical guidelines recommend providing preventive medication to close contacts within the family to stop them from developing the illness. Therefore, a child suffering from a vaccine-preventable condition could spread it to relatives.
In response to inquiries about addressing vaccine reluctance, the pediatric health specialist emphasized, "It’s crucial to campaign for children so that policymakers and decision-makers recognize the obstacles posed by vaccine hesitancy. If these authorities understand that parents are receptive to vaccinations, they might implement policies such as incentives to encourage more parents to bring their kids to healthcare centers for immunizations."
Health care centers must become more easily reachable so that parents do not need to cover great distances just to obtain these vaccinations.
We must collaborate with influential figures within communities, including respected elders like royal fathers, traditional chiefs, religious leaders, and pastors, to disseminate this information effectively. These individuals serve as key influencers among younger members of the community and hold significant sway over public opinion. Therefore, when discussions regarding vaccine safety and efficacy come directly from them, they tend to be better received by the general populace.
I believe we must continue to maintain an open dialogue since certain parents might refer to instances where a neighbor got vaccinated and experienced side effects. It’s crucial for us to engage in transparent conversations with parents regarding this matter, emphasizing that although side effects do happen, they are exceedingly uncommon and infrequent. These discussions will help ensure that our intentions aren’t misconstrued as attempts at concealing information.
From his perspective, Professor Tanimola Akande from the University of Ilorin in Kwara State emphasized that although vaccinations play a crucial role in public health, their implementation should be carried out with sensitivity towards individual rights.
He recommended that government policies focus on positive reinforcement, such as linking immunisation to access to public services or school enrolment.
Akande, who is a former National Chairman of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, emphasised the need for government agencies, healthcare providers, and community leaders to work together to address vaccine hesitancy.
He proposed that offering incentives like supplying schoolbooks or other perks might motivate parents to have their children vaccinated.
He said, "At every level, the government must assume responsibility for promoting the advantages of vaccinating children. It is essential to focus particularly on communities that often exhibit reluctance towards vaccines."
The government has made significant progress in this area, yet much remains to be accomplished. Additionally, involving key figures such as religious and traditional leaders could greatly aid in tackling vaccine reluctance. It’s crucial to combat the misinformation about vaccines that frequently contributes to these concerns.
Healthcare providers require additional training on how to efficiently convey the advantages of vaccinations.
The government should develop strategies to decrease vaccine reluctance, such as requiring proof of immunization for certain governmental privileges or child school enrollments. Implementing severe measures like arresting parents is not recommended as this could potentially backfire.
However, the don pinpointed cultural and religious beliefs, along with opposition from male family leaders, as extra elements hindering regular vaccination initiatives.
Akande emphasized that unvaccinated children face the threat of fatal illnesses like measles, pneumonia, hepatitis, and tetanus. These health issues not only burden individuals and their families economically and socially but also strain the overall healthcare infrastructure.
Children who haven’t been vaccinated face significant danger from preventable ailments such as measles, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis, diarrhea, and pneumonia, which have claimed numerous lives," he stated. "In addition to fatalities, many cases of illness stem from unvaccinated kids, potentially leading to severe complications. These diseases also cause substantial financial losses.
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