The mutating discourse of the existing manifestation of poor health seeking behaviour and the underpining factors inhibiting vaccination uptake in nairobi informal settlements

Abstract

On 6th April 2018, the Daily Nation published that the Kenya Institute of Medical Research (KEMRI) had notified the Ministry of Health (MoH) that through its experiments, it had established the outbreak of the vaccine derived polio virus (cVDPV) in the sewage collected in Kamkunji sub-county in Nairobi. The report further noted that this polio virus could easily spread and if not contained, anyone in the area that exhibits the characteristics of informal settlements was likely to be infected by it. This research employs a desk review on the existing literature on vaccination in urban informal settlements. It aims at expounding on the causal factors that inhibit the children from accessing full vaccination in the informal settlements. This research finds that the literacy levels of mothers, marginalization and stigma associated to HIV/AIDS,limited number of health facilities and healthcare workers; personal beliefs; and parental occupational responsibilities are directly correlated to low vaccination uptake in the area. The above factors have been considered to be teething problems for the implementation of vaccination program. The study thus concludes that the above factors are pivotal to be addressed if the quest of attaining a healthy nation and workforce is to be realized.