Rotavirus surveillance and vaccination in Nigeria: current challenges and important next steps

Abstract

Available rotavirus vaccines have proven to be most effective and safe in reducing rotavirusassociated mortality in a wide variety of  settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends countries worldwide to integrate rotavirus vaccines into their national  immunization programs, especially countries with high disease burdens such as Nigeria. The introduction of the rotavirus vaccine has  signaled renewed hope in the fight against the virus that has continued to take a toll on the health of under-five children. Rotavirus vaccine roll-out began from the northern region with higher disease burden to the southern region with lower disease prevalence. Also,  surveillance sites were established across the country in order to develop a tailored approach in the fight against rotavirus. While the  country hopes to reduce incidence and death rates associated with the virus in children below 5 years by at least forty percent, several  factors such as low vaccine coverage, low healthcare-seeking behavior, poor supply chain management system, poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and rotavirus vaccine cost, all constitute an important current and future challenge that can undermine  the country’s effort towards achieving this goal. There is a need for the government to scale up prevention strategies, and increase  coverage and uptake take of rotavirus vaccines. Also, the government must take proactive steps in implementing independent  immunization strategies especially as the country is transitioning beyond Gavi support.