Abstract:
Background: The EPI coverage in Iganga district was 79.3% in the year 2017/2018. This
was below the 95% MOH target coverage for control of immunizable diseases. The under
coverage by 15.7% in Iganga prompted the researcher to carry out a study to understand
factors that were responsible for such performance. It’s in light of this that the researcher
focused on assessing the factors influencing the coverage performance of the EPI in the
district. The study objectives were; to describe the coverage performance trend of EPI in
Iganga district over five-year period from 2018/17-2014/13; to identify workforce related
factors influencing coverage of the EPI performance in Iganga district; to establish health
facility related factors influencing coverage performance of EPI in Iganga district and to
ascertain health data management factors influencing coverage of the EPI performance in
Iganga district.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a design involving both quantitative
and qualitative approaches were undertaken. The study was conducted in Iganga district in
DHOs office, one hospital, 4 HCIV/HSDs and 10 HCIIIs of Eastern Uganda. Data was
collected from a sample size of 53 respondents using self-administered questionnaires and
through KII interviews. Data was collected, edited analyzed and presented to SPSS Version
20 and using descriptive analysis for quantitative while qualitative was analyzed through
organized themes and reported as verbatim.
Findings: Immunization coverage measured by the 3rd dose of DPT3 Hep3 Hib3 and measles
was persistently below 80% for the past 5-review period, 2013/14-2017/18 compared to the
national target of 95% (Figure 2). The major factors that influenced the coverage of the EPI
performance were attributed to staffing levels, motivation, transport and distribution of
vaccines. Others were data quality and availability, skills development, inadequate
supervision and monitoring. Also, the EPI program was affected by inadequate funding, cold
chain equipment functionality, and the lack of real time data documentation and reporting as
well as waste management.
Recommendations: Increasing funds allocation to EPI activities like out reaches, continuous
community sensitization, capacity building for health workers, incentives to village health
teams during immunization activities. Others are procurement of solar refrigerators,
investment in Management Information Systems for quality data and provision of adequate
disposal and waste management equipment.
