o
Vaccination Coverage Benefitting Children:
205
According to the Demographic and Health Survey of 2012, the vaccination coverage
is not homogeneous. Indeed, in rural areas, 46% of children from 12-23 months are
completely vaccinated versus 56% in Cotonou. In departments, the ratio of children
having received all recommended vaccinations varies from a maximum of 66% in the
Collines to a minimum of 26% in Alibori.
The same survey reveals tendency to the improvement of the vaccination coverage
with the increase of the mother's instruction level and the socio-economic status of
the household: thus, one can notice rates of 59% among children from a mother of
high school or more, of 54% among those whose mother has a primary level, and
only 44% among children whose mother is uneducated. According to the economic
welfare level, one can notice that in the lowest quintile households, only 36% of
children are completely vaccinated versus 52% in medium quintile households and
57% in highest quintile ones.
For years, Benin has been implementing an Expanded Program of Immunization but
visibly, vaccination coverage does not know any improvement since 2006 and
struggles to find again the level of 2001 (59%) (DHS, 2012).
In more details, BCG coverage remains almost stable since 2001 (90% in 2001
versus 88% in 2006 and in 2011-2012) but DTCoq 3 vaccination coverage has
improved (67% in 2006 versus 74% in 2011-2012).
However, the ratio of children without any vaccination, which was constant (7%) from
2001 to 2006 has increased of 3 points of percentage in 2011-2012; in other words
that ratio has gone from 7% in 2006 to 10% in 2011-2012.
According to analyses, this counter performance could be explained by the fact that
children's mothers no longer bring spontaneously their children to health centers for
routine vaccination but wait for health agents to come, going door-to-door as it
happens during National Immunization Days (NIDs).
206
207
208
209
210