Latest Immunization Schedule for Children in Nigeria

Baby Receiving Immunization

What is Vaccine?

Vaccines are preparation that contains dead or weakened microorganisms that causes a disease and are administered to  help the body produce antibodies that protects against diseases.  Vaccines provides acquired immunity against a specific diseases, it helps the body to fight off the disease when it tries to invade the body. They help protect the body against invading disease causing organisms.

What is vaccination or Immunization?

The immune system helps fight infections, and this is easier if the body already had a first line of defense against the invading organism through vaccination.

Immunization or Vaccination is the introduction of a weakened microorganism causing diseases into the body. This is to help the body stimulate the immune system to produce antibody that fights off the disease. Vaccination could be in form of a weakened bacteria or virus causing diseases e.g. Polio virus.
The maximum protection from vaccination is achieved when the child or individual completes all doses of recommended vaccine as described in the above.

Why every Child Needs Vaccination
It is the responsibility of all parents and care giver to make sure that every child is protected form all kinds of preventable diseases.  Vaccine is important for every child's health, as it prevents them from about 13 different deadly diseases.

• Polio
• Pneumococcal disease
• Whooping cough (Pertussis)
• Chicken pox
• Measles
• Yellow fever 
• Tetanus
• Human Papilloma virus
• Diphtheria
• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• Mumps
• Influenza
• Rubella
• Meningococcal Disease 

The invention of vaccine which became popular in middle fifties, has saved more life from preventable and manageable diseases. Before the invention of vaccine, many children suffers from a number of diseases that took their life or that deformed them. The use of vaccine has slow down the rate of some diseases and even take some types of diseases into extinction. Maximum protection is derived through the use of vaccine for every child.

When does a child need to be vaccinated?
Timing is crucial to getting your child immunized, because if some immunization is missed it can not be administered again, and this is detrimental to the child's health. To plan your child's immunization schedule, talk to a health care professional to put you through the steps and stages of vaccination. Some vaccines is taken:

• At birth
• 6 weeks
• 10 weeks
• 14 weeks
• 6 month
• 9 month
•  15 month
• 18 month
• 2 years
• 4-6 years
• 10-12 years

Below is the vaccination chart for babies by age

Immunization Chart

Vaccine and syringe

Vaccine Codes and their Meaning

• BCG -- Bacille Calmette Guerin 
• IPV -- Inactivated Polio Vaccine 
• Hib -- Haem.Influenza ‘B’ Vaccine 
• DPT --Diptheria/ Pertusis / Tetanus 
• DTaP -- Diptheria / Tetanus/ Acellular Pertusis 
• OPV --Oral Polio Vaccine 
• PCV -- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
•  Heb B -- Hepatitis B

Vaccines and their Function

•  BCG -- Bacille Calmette Guerin 

Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) is a vaccine used against tuberculosis (TB). The vaccine has been around for more than 80 years and it is used against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) that causes tuberculosis (TB).

• IPV -- Inactivated Polio Vaccine 

The inactivated polio (IPV) is produced from wild polio-virus that have been inactivated or killed by formalin.  The inactivated polio vaccine protects against polio and it is given by injection in the arm or leg.

• Hib -- Haem.Influenza ‘B’ Vaccine 

The Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine, this protects against meningitis, pneumonia, epiglottises infection and other serious diseases.

• DPT --Diptheria/ Pertusis / Tetanus 

This vaccine prevents against tetanus also known as lock jaw caused by Clostridium tetani, is an infection that causes muscle spasms. Pertusis also known as whooping cough is a highly contagious diseases and Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of the throat, it is a serious nose and throat infection

•  DTaP -- Diptheria / Tetanus/ Acellular Pertusis 

This vaccine prevents against tetanus also known as lock jaw caused by Clostridium tetani, is an infection that causes muscle spasms. Pertusis also known as whooping cough is a highly contagious diseases and Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of the throat, it is a serious nose and throat infection

• OPV -- Oral Polio Vaccine 

Oral polio vaccine (OPV) is a polio-virus that has been weakened. The oral polio vaccine protects against all the three types of polio and it is given orally. Oral Polio Vaccine produces antibodies in the blood to all three types of polio-virus. However when there is infection, this protects against polio paralysis by preventing the spread of polio-virus to the nervous system of the child

• PCV -- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

This vaccine prevent infants, young children and adults against pneumococcal disease caused by bacteria.

• Heb B -- Hepatitis B

This vaccine protect against hepatitis B, it helps the immune system to boost itself in case of infection.

Safety measures to be taken during immunization/vaccination

The benefits of immunization are enormous and this outweighs any risk that may be attached to it, however some basic safety measures should be put into place to ensure a hitch free process.

• Plan you vaccination routine with your health provider so as not to miss the time slated for each vaccination

• Get vaccinated in a reputable primary health care facility and hospital. Either private or public in as much as they offer quality services

• Be familiar with vaccine potency and check expiry date if you have any suspicions

• Attend health talk during routine immunization and get acquainted with symptoms that will be talked about prior to vaccination so you can be prepare to counter it

• Report to your healthcare provider if your baby had suffer convulsion in the past before taking DPT

• Let your baby be cleared to take vaccination by a health care provider before it is given this is to allow screen for any illnesses that might affect the baby after immunization

Side-effects of Vaccination/ Immunization

Vaccines can sometimes have side effects but the risk is minimal. Life threatening or serious side effects of vaccination is very rare. The most common vaccination/immunization side effects can range from:

•  Mild pain

•  Redness or swelling in the area where the vaccine was given

•  Flu-like symptoms

• A lump appears 3-4 weeks after B.C.G. It may soften and discharge for up to 2 weeks

• After measles vaccination some babies may develop fever few days after the vaccination. This may be associated with cough, cold and mild rash

• Serious side effects from immunization are very rare, however if any unusual signs comes up don’t hesitate to take the baby to a healthcare professional for check-up and possible treatment.