Abstract

Introduction: immunization coverage rate in Nigeria is low for controlling vaccine-preventable-diseases. To improve immunization service delivery, regular training of health providers is essential. Few studies have evaluated the effect of immunization training on performance of providers in Primary Health Care (PHC) setting. We assessed the impact of immunization training intervention on knowledge and practice of immunization providers in Ibadan, Nigeria.

 

Methods: a pre-test, post-test experimental design was adopted; four randomly selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly assigned into two intervention and two control groups. One ward was randomly selected from each LGA. Participants were 70 immunization providers from PHC centers from the four wards. A two-day immunization training was organized for the participants in the intervention groups. Knowledge and practice data were collected from all participants with a questionnaire and an observation checklist pre-intervention, immediately, three months and six months post-intervention.

 

Results: repeated measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant improvement in the scores of the participants in intervention groups in all the three parameters of questionnaire assessment between time points, general knowledge of immunization and self-reported practice (F= 8.235, P< 0.001), gathering immunization information from community (F= 2.919, P< 0.05) and communication with mothers about immunization (F=17.913, P< 0.001). However, the mean scores for observation of participants’ communication practice with mothers on immunization across four points of assessment in all the groups showed no significant improvement (P> 0.05).

 

Conclusion: there is a need for effective monitoring and supportive supervision system to ensure standard immunization practice in the context of task-shifting initiatives in PHC.