Publication:

Knowledge and practice of primary healthcare workers on the routine childhood immunization schedule in Osun State

Background Despite global progress in immunization, Nigeria continues to face challenges in achieving adequate vaccination coverage. This study examined the knowledge and practices of primary healthcare workers regarding routine childhood immunization in Osun State, where coverage exceeds national averages but remains below global targets.

Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 273 primary healthcare workers across 48 primary health centers in Osun State.

Results There was a significant disparity between the knowledge (86.5%) and practice of routine childhood immunization (40.6%). Key gaps included inadequate vaccine storage (with 59% failing to maintain temperature records) and inconsistent caregiver communication (only 53.7% consistently obtained consent). Training deficiencies were evident, with 12.3% of staff lacking pre-service immunization training and 60% not having received refresher training within the previous six months.

Conclusions These findings suggest that achieving better immunization outcomes requires more than just knowledge transfer. Health system strengthening should focus on improving cold chain infrastructure, implementing regular competency-based training, and strengthening supervision mechanisms. The study emphasizes the importance of ongoing support for healthcare workers to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice in routine immunization services.