Community Participatory engagement and social behaviour change influence on

Immunization uptake among (12-23months) children: Demand side perspectives, Homabay

County, Kenya

Charles Orora, PhD*1, Joseph Njoroge 2, George Mutmbula3 ,Salome Oyando 4

1, 2, 3, 4
Population Services Kenya,
Immunization is a strong pillar of public health system its attainment is dependent on strategic
utilization of behaviour change communication strategies. Kenya, reports vaccination of 77% of
children aged 12-23 months far much below the stipulated of 90% and at 80 % in county level.
Homabay County Fully Immunization Coverage is still a challenge at 73.5% .Pskenya is a
communication Campaign aimed at increasing the number of care givers who, Know the
recommended number of vacinnes, where to access them and recall at least four vaccines and the
diseases they prevent.Community participatory approaches and social behaviour change
communication are pertinent to enhance and sustain caregivers' knowledge about key vaccines
and their role in child survival, access and utilization of services.

Methods: The paper utilized data from on ground demand creation activities through the
community strategy focusing on defaulter tracking and DHIS data from link facilities for one
year June 2017 to June 2018 in Suba and Kabondo Sub counties, Homabay County. Door to
door, targeted outreaches in hard to reach areas, dialogue days, Joint supportive supervision and
monthly programmatic reiew forums were the avenues used to strengthen the intervention

Results: Training of 627 community health Volunteers was conducted in June and
implementation started in July, there was a steady increase in FIC with on ground SBCC
activities, HH mapping of Children under 2 years done in July 2017 had positive colleration to
vaccines uptake. FIC Improved from 55% to 84% and from 55% to 63 % in Suba and Kabondo
respectively. Through the implementation period we had drops of FIC in moths attributed to
service providers’ industrial strike and poor weather in rainy seasons.

Conclusion: There is improvement on FIC, with variation during health service providers
srike.Household mapping, joint review forum supportive supervision and defaulter tracing were
the most significant drivers of utilization of immunization Services.The County should
incorporate demand creation indicators in routine data collection and ensure sustained targeted
demand creation

Key words: Immunization; Fully immunized Children; Vaccination