Abstract:
The World Health Organization
(WHO) and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and
Immunizations (GAVI) recommended the use of Pentavalent
vaccines in Nigeria and other developing countries to replace
the DPT (Diphtheria, pertusis and tetanus) vaccine. This was
done to increase the uptake of the hepatitis B (Hb) and
Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccines in these countries
by capitalising on the uptake of DPT vaccine.
Objective: This study aims to assess the attitude and use of
pentavalent vaccine in pregnant women attending antenatal
care in a Tertiary Hospital in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Methods: The study was carried out among pregnant
women receiving antenatal care in Plateau Specialist Hospital,
Jos using a descriptive cross sectional study design. The study
was done over a period of four (4) months (August 2018 to
December 2018). Simple Random Sampling was used to select
397 women who participated in the study.
Results: Respondents were predominantly Christians 283
(71.3%) wheras Muslims represent about 114 (28.7%) of
respondents. About 373 (94%) respondents were married,
whereas 24 (6.0%) percent of the respondents were single
parents. Also 213 (53.7%) were business women, Only 48
(12.1%) were civil servants whereas 85 (21.4%) of the
respondents had no form of employment. Majority 257
(97.0%) of them had a positive attitude towards the vaccine
while only a few 8(3.0%) had a negative attitude.
Eighty eight (32.2%) felt pentavalent vaccines were not
important. A similar proportion 88 (3.2%) also stated that they
would not give their child the vaccine. Most women 252
(95.1%) agreed that mothers should be encouraged to attend
immunization regularly. Side effect experienced by children
were fever 69 (87.3%), swelling at injection site 21 (26.6%),
rash 6 (7.6%).
Conclusion and recommendations: Almost all pregnant
women had a positive attitude towards the vaccine while only a
few had a negative attitude. Nine in ten women had children
who had received pentavalent vaccine.
Health workers should improve efforts at health education
on immunization especially on adverse effects following
immunization (AEFI), reasons for missed opportunities, coverage of hard to reach areas or distant areas via special immunization or home visiting to administer vaccine.
