Evaluation of National Immunization Days in high risk area of Saudi Arabia

Objective: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has conducted yearly National Immunization Days since 1995. The aim of this study is'to evaluate the National Immunization Days and routine vaccination coverage in high risk areas of Saudi Arabia. We chose to study vaccination coverage in high risk areas with the premise that coverage in other areas will be at least as high if not higher. Methods: For evaluating essential immunization with oral poliovaccine and coverage during National Immunization Days, routine surveillance reports were reviewed and compared with the results of post National Immunization Days surveys and essential immunization coverage surveys. The World Health Organization 30-cluster technique and a standard questionnaire were used in post National Immunization Days and essential immunization coverage surveys. Results: The reported immunization with 3 oral poliovaccine doses ranged between 86%-100% according to routine surveillance and 92%-100% during National Immunization Days. The essential immunization coverage survey showed a coverage between 81% and 98%. Post National Immunization Days surveys varied between a low of (63% to 82%) for Jeddah and Riyadh and a high of (97% to 100%) for Gizan and Najran. The leading cause of not being vaccinated (39.5%) was that the vaccination team did not show up. Conclusion: Both essential immunization coverage and National Immunization Days were successfully conducted in the regions of Gizan and Najran. National Immunization Days conducted in Makkah succeeded in filling the gaps in the essential immunization coverage. The relatively low coverage during National Immunization Days in Riyadh, as shown by the post National Immunization Days surveys, indicated that National Immunization Days failed to reach children missed by essential immunization coverage. In Jeddah, both essential immunization coverage and National Immunization Days could not reach a sizable segment of targeted children. There is a need for a message to parents to take children to the nearest health center if the vaccination team do not show up on the fixed date.