Using Bracelets to Improve the Timeliness of Immunizations

Inuwa Barau Ya'u of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Nigeria will use bracelets of different colors to symbolize the order of the five routine childhood vaccinations to remind families with limited education when to get their children immunized. Bracelets are low cost and easy to see on an infant, and are a common adornment in many cultures, including the Fulani tribe found in remote areas in Northern Nigeria. Vaccination coverage is low across Nigeria, with vaccine-preventable diseases still accounting for over 20% of infant mortality. They will combine the bracelets with a peer education program whereby mothers are encouraged to spread information on the vaccines received by their children to their peers. Their approach will be tested in a pilot study with 300 mother/infant pairs in an urban and rural location to see if it improves on-time vaccination coverage.