This study was conducted to determine the most effective communication strategies for enhancing immunization uptake and coverage among women in rural Nigeria. Sixty three (63) women with immunizable children in Maternal and Child Health Centres in Bida,Lapai and Agaie Local Government Areas of Niger State, Nigeria were enlisted in a quasi-experimental study consisting of 2 groups of women, an experimental group and a control group. In the experimental group, intervention includes orientation and training of clinic staff to be mother friendly, have shorter clinic procedures, give health talks on immunization to mothers at the clinic, ensure oral commitment by mothers at the exit point to return for the next visit, distribute printed educational and instructional materials to mothers to remind them of their subsequent visits to the clinic, carry out outreach visits to sub-samples of defaulting mothers and give pep talks to husbands and opinion leaders on immunization to encourage their wives to immunize their children completely. In the control group, there was no such intervention. Results show that women in the experimental group made 80-90 percent of their expected visits to the clinic to immunize their children, while women in the control group made only 30 percent of their expected visits to the clinic. With a Chi-square (x2) calculated at 37.6 at 0.5 significance level, the difference is very significant. Ensuring the social support of husbands and opinion leaders for immunization, motivating the field staff for defaulter tracing, instructional support and streamlined clinic procedures are essential elements in immunization campaign targeting rural women
Keywords: Immunization Campaign in Nigeria., Improving Immunization Coverage
