Why High Dropout on Immunisation Programme in the Ashanti Akim North District
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Date
2000-09
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University of Ghana
Abstract
Expanded Programme on Immunisation is one of the health intervention that holdout the
prospect of reducing infant and childhood mortality in developing countries. In Ghana efforts
are being made to folly immunise all children against the six childhood killer diseases.
Unfortunately access to and utilisation of the services by the children remains poor in many
districts. The Ashanti Akim North district for instance recorded dropout rate of 29% in 1999.
This dropout rate is unacceptable at the time when the country has aimed at achieving a
minimum of 75% coverage for DPT3/OPV3 by the year 2001. According to WHO, there is a
problem whenever dropout rate exceeds 10%.
The study looked into the reasons for such a high dropout rate in the Ashanti Akim North
district. The Ashanti Akim North district is one of the 18 districts in the Ashanti Region of
Ghana. It has a population of 107,771. Konongo is the district capital, with the Agogo
Presbyterian Hospital as its district hospital.
The main objective of the study was to provide information to enable the District Health
Directorate design and implement appropriate and relevant immunisation programme that will
serve to enhance immunisation coverage and encourage mothers to folly immunize their
children in the Ashanti Akim North District.
The study was descriptive in nature and combined both quantitative and qualitative methods.
The findings from the qualitative research (group discussions) were used to complement the
information obtained from the sample survey questionnaire that was administered to mothers
of children between 6 weeks to 24 months, who had dropout of the immunisation schedules.
The sample size for the study was 170.
The results of the study showed that the dropout rate in the district was 17.3% instead of the
calculated rate of 29%. The overestimation was due to poor recording of the immunisation
registers. For those who dropout out, several reasons were given as to why they could not
comply with the immunisation schedules. Most of the reasons 62.1% were obstacles with lack
of money as the most prominent. Lack of motivation resulted in 20.6% of the respondents
postponing their visit until another time. The rest were mother being busy, traveling, fear of
side effect and laziness. Lack of nice clothing was not a major reason why a mother would not
attend or complete the schedule. The study revealed that the mothers prefer outreach clinic to
any other immunisation strategy.
The main recommendations were that;
1. Education at antenatal, postnatal and child welfare clinics should stress the total number
of times mothers need to visit the clinic to complete the immunisation and when the
measles vaccine needs to be taken.
2. The CHN should be trained on the need for the immunisation register and should be
encouraged to do proper recording and follow up on defaulters.
It is hoped that the recommendations will be critically considered to improve immunisation
coverage in the Ashanti Akim North District.
Description
Thesis (MPH) - University of Ghana, 2000