CHAPTER ONE

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The first five years of life are the most crucial to the physical and

intellectual development of children and can determine their

potential to learn and thrive for a lifetime. For young children, every

single day counts. “The name of the child is today, tomorrow may

be too late.” The challenges that we face regarding the health of

Nigerian children cannot be put off, and they are not

insurmountable. We have the tools, resources, and knowledge to

address our nation’s most critical child survival problems and build

on the considerable achievements that have been made since the

World Summit for Children in 1990. What is needed is urgent action

and greater national priority placed on children’s issues so that

significant gaps and the growing disparity in child health and

survival do not reverse the progress already made.

Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and

eliminating life threatening infectious diseases and is

estimated to' avert over 2 million deaths each year

(Encarta, 2008). It is one of the most cost-effective health

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investments, with proven strategies that make it

accessible to even 'the most hard-to-reach and vulnerable

populations. It has clearly defined target groups; it can be

delivered effectively through outreach activities and

vaccination.

Immunization is however defined as the process by which

individual's immune system becomes fortified against an

agent (Known as immunogen), When an immune system

is expose to molecules that are foreign to the body, it will

orchestrate an immune response, but it can also develop

the' ability to quickly respond to a subsequent encounter

(through immunological memory), This is a function of the

adaptive immune system.

By exposing an animal to an immunogen in a controlled way, its

body can learn to protect itself (WHO 2006) Journal, Vol. 2.11)

In African as a continent child immunization is a medical practice

that is evitable as we have so many vectors in the tropical region

that can be responsible for various infections. For this reason; The

European Union, World Health Organization, United Nation Children

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Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to mention a few are international

organizations that have been in partnership with African countries

to help facilitate child immunization in Africa.

In Nigeria, this hand of partnership is also extended to us as a

nation and a sub-division at every state level within the country.

Delta state is not left out as elimination of mortality rate among

children is also on the top list of the Government agenda. Among

others we have measles, chicken pox, yellow fever, meningitis, and

hepatitis to mention but few. Polio which is the most child

threatening ailment recently have received great attention from the

world as the “kick polio” initiative is working effectively well.

(Euprime Journal 2009 Vol. 3. 11).

The stud y of child im muniz atio n is charged ve ry seriously

as a de ve loping nation since mos t of t hese ailment s have

bee n taken car e of in developed soci et ies.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

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Child immunization is still at the “Below belt” level in

Nigeria, Delta state specifically, as well as Ughelli Local

Government area of the state. The reasons for child

mortality points to the fact that the process of

acceptance of immunization at the grass root level (i.e.

rural areas) is very slow. This is also true of Ughelli Local

Government Area of Delta State, likewise its acceptability

at the urban areas not also to effective.

The introduction of Pre-Natal Care and Post-Natal Care in

our h ospital s howe ver has cont ribut ed mu ch in the

campaign of childhood immunization but neglig ence on

som e grounds not far from religion or tr adi tion hav e not

helped th is missi on to at tai n the envis age d su ccess.

1.3 OBJECTIVES ·OF THE STUDY

The primary object ives of t hi s s tudy is

1. To examine the effect of chi ldho od immu ni zation

programm e i n Ughelli north local government area of

Del ta s tate.

2. To X -ray t he accep tability of childhoo d i mmuniza tion

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 pro gramme i n D elta sta te.

3. To c ompare th e acc ep tabilit y of t he proj ect b etween

rur al and urban areas with in the state and take its

vari abl e.

4. To s uggest po siti ve se nsitization fo rmu las and

solutions to red uce child m ort ality in Ughelli north local

government area of Del ta s tate.

1.4 RESEARCH

HYPOTHESES

Hypotheses are conjectural statements of relationships

between two (2) or more variables (Osuala, 2001). They

are

guides for the investigation in the entire process of

research on the main line of this study. In fact,

hypotheses are useful guides to effective, research. The

formulation of an appropriate hypothesis goes hand in

hand with the selection of a research problem. Therefore

the hypothesis for this research will be related to the

research problem and objectives of the study.

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Two (2) classes of hypothesis are important for this

research, they are H0 and H 1. H 0 mean the hypothesis

which asserts that there are no two differences between

two populations and whatever difference found is

therefore accidental. H 1 is used to refer to the alternative

hypothesis. This represents a true difference between two

populations and means that it can be determined whether

a difference possibly exists between the population mean.

The hypotheses of the study are stated in null and

alternate forms as follows:

H0: Childhood immunization programmes in ughelli

north local government area of Del ta s tate has not

yielded desired results in the state.

H1: Childhood immunization programmes in ughelli

north local government area of Del ta s tate has

yielded desired results in the state.

and

H0: The sensitization approach to introduce

immunization programme in Ugelli North local

Government Area of Delta state by Government has

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 not been effective.

H1: The sensitization approach to introduce

immunization programme in Ughelli North local

Government Area of Delta state by Government has

been effective.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of the study reveals the problem of

immunization programme, its impact on Ughelli people

and Ughelli local government area of the state in general.

It is obvious that this study will add to the knowledge on

the importance of immunization programmes to Ughelli

people and to existing literature on state immunization

programmes in Delta state.

In addition, the study will serve as an academic exercise

aimed at informing subsequent researchers from

unknown to known about childhood immunization in

Ughelli local government area of Delta state.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1. This is the range which a particular study will cover.

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This study will cover the entire Ughelli North local

government area of Del ta s tate in the north senatorial

zone of the state.

For the purpose of data collection, the researcher will use

the direct observation of primary method of collecting

data. This is further elaborated in the research

methodology of the study. Little reliance will be placed on

secondary data to get statistics on the subject matter.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Like everything else, there are limitations. As with every

research work, there are some limits that impair the

realization of an otherwise perfect objective. This is not an

exception to this study, hence the following limitations:

1. This study will only be able to concentrate on a

sample( Ughelli LGA) and not the entire

population( Delta state).

2. Difference in language understood and spoken in the

area will affect data collection and pace of the study

3. Time and resource insufficiency will affect production

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 of data sheets and materials.

4. Insufficient secondary data.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Imp air: N egat ive Influence of a f ac tor .

2. C onstraints: This r efers to di ffi cultie s fa ced du ring tas k

pe rformanc e.

3. Im muno ge n: This ref ers to forti fied I mmun e bod y in the

sys tem.

4. Mort ality Rate: This refe rs to Deat h rate.

List of Abbreviations
ADB: African Development Bank

AFP: acute flaccid paralysis

ANC: Antenatal care

ARCH: Applied Research on Child Health

ARI: acute respiratory infections

BASICS: Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival

BCG: Bacille Calmette Guerin

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BI: birth interval

CBR: crude birth rate

CDD: control of diarrhoeal diseases

CEDPA: Centre for Development and Population Activities

CMR: child mortality rate

CPH: Community Partnerships for Health

CRC: Child Rights Convention

CS: child survival

CSM: Cerebro- Spinal Meningitis

DCD: Department of Child Development

DFID: Department for International Development

EPI: Expanded Programme on Immunisation

FHI: Family Health International

FMOH: Federal Ministry of Health

FMWA&YD: Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth

Development

FOS: Federal Office of Statistics

GAVI: Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation

IMR: infant mortality rate

MCH: maternal and child health

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MTCT: mother-to-child transmission

NCFN :National Committee for Food and Nutrition

NCWC: National Child Welfare Committee

NCRIC: National Child Rights Implementation Committee

NIDs: National Immunisation Days

NIGEP: Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme

NIMR: Nigerian Institute of Medical Research

NPA: National Plan of Action for Children

NPHCDA: National Primary Health Care Development Agency

NPI: National Programme on Immunisation

OPV: oral polio vaccines

PEI :Polio Eradication Initiative

RBM: Roll Back Malaria

RDA: recommended dietary allowance

RI: routine immunisation

UNDP: United Nation’s Development Project

UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural

Organization

UNICEF: United Nations Children’s Fund

USAID: U.S. Agency for International Development

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U5MR: under-5 mortality rate

VAD : vitamin-A deficiency

VPD: vaccine preventable diseases

WB: World Bank

WHO: World Health Organization

WSC: World Summit for Children

1.9 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY

This study was divided into five chapters for clarity and easy

understanding as follows:

Chapter 1: This consists of the introduction, background to the

study, problem statement, and justification for the study, objectives

of the study scope of the study, research questions, statement of

hypothesis, and limitation of the study.

Chapter 2: This is the literature review. It synthesizes previous

works on the topic, historical background and theories postulated

on childhood immunization programme in child care and welfare of

children in Ughelli LGA of Delta state.

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Chapter 3: This is the research methodology. This will also involve

the method of data collection and the technique used in analyzing

the data.

Chapter 4: This presents empirical results of model estimation

and interpretation. It also evaluates and analyze the various data

used for the study.

Chapter 5: This presents the summary of the findings of the

study, recommendations and conclusion.

REFERENCES

1.World Health Organization (WHO). Immunization, vaccines and

biologicals. [Accessed 2007 October 26]. Available from URL

http://www.who.int/immunization/en/

2. Centre for Global Development. Making Markets for vaccines:

from ideas to actions. Centre for Global Development; 2005:

Washington DC.

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3. Matsumura T, Nakayama T, Okamoto S, Ito H. Measles vaccine

coverage and factors related to uncompleted vaccination among

18-month-old and 36-month-old children in Nigeria. BMC Public

Health 2005, 5: 59.

4. Torun S.D, Bakare N. Vaccination coverage and reasons for non-

vaccination in a Delta state. BMC Public Health 2006, 6: 125.

5. Ananda S, T Amadi. Health workers and vaccination

coverage in developing countries: an econometric analysis.

Lancet 2007, 369: 1277-85

6. Encarta (2005, 2006, 2008), immunization and its many

intricacies.

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