Assessment of Factors Affecting Utilization of EPI service among mothers in Adi remets town, Welkiet Woreda, Humera zone, North West Ethiopia.

Abstract

Back ground: - The process of protecting the body against disease by means of vaccines or serum (immunization) is the most cost effective of all the health intervention developed so far. However, the poorest countries and those affected by war or civil disturbance continue to have low immunization coverage contributing at least 2 million child hood deaths per year. Objectives: - The objective of the study was to assessment of factors affecting utilization of EPI among mothers in Adi/remets town. Method:-A cross- sectional community based study would be conducted in Welkite woreda, Humera Zone, North West in Ethiopia and data would be collected from 19th to 29th, Feb. 2013 Consecutively ; the necessary data would be collected from EPI card, maternal history and observation for the presences or absence of BCG scar. Result: Accordingly form the 294 mother, 68.4% have knowledge about EPI (know at least of the 8 VPDs), 97.6% positive attitude towards EPI, while 94.4% have positive attitude towards the vaccinators .As to the general benefit of EPI, 82.3% replied that vaccination is given to protect diseases, 11.6% answered to cure a disease, while 6.1% don’t know the general use of vaccines. Out of the same total number of children 67% were fully immunized (DPT3, measles) and 78% were vaccinated against measles .the number of children with three doses of DPT, OPV, PCV were 82.6% While the overall dropout rate was 24.6%, the drop-out-rate between DPT3/PCV3/OPV3 and measles was 19% .From the 280 children who visited the nearby health facility, then returned without any vaccination and this makes the missed opportunity rate to be 3.6%.