Health facility preparedness for routine immunization services in Gambella region, Ethiopia

Immunization coverage has been consistently low in semi pastoralist regions of Ethiopia, including the Gambella region.

Assess facility preparedness for routine immunization services in the region.

All health centers and randomly selected health posts that were reported to provide immunization services for at least six months earlier to the data collection time were included. The study was conducted in August, 2011. Data were collected through observations and interviewing health facility head or EPI focal person using structured questionnaire.

Only 7/28 (25%) of health facilities provided routine EPI service regularly while the rest 21/28 (75%) health facilities did not offer routine EPI regularly. The reasons given for not providing EPI services regularly were lack of refrigerator in 9/28 (32.1%) health facilities, shortage of kerosene in 7/28 (33.3%), the refrigerators were dysfunctional in 3/28 (14.3%), had no vaccine in 1/28 (3.6%) health facilities. At times higher coverage were attained when Enhance Routine Immunization Activities (ERIA) were conducted.

Routine EPI performance in Gambella region is generally low. There seems to be reliance only on ERIAs to increase EPI coverage. Health facilities should be staffed with trained personnel and adequate immunization logistics should be available to run regular static and outreach services.