Engaging Community Health Workers to Enhance Childhood Immunization Rates in Nigerian States

Community health workers (CHWs) play a crucial role in promoting immunization practices among children in Nigerian states. A mixed-methods approach including surveys and qualitative interviews was employed to assess CHW activities and vaccination coverage across selected Nigerian states. CHWs reported a significant improvement in vaccination rates from 75% to 82% within their communities, with notable success in rural areas where access to healthcare facilities is limited. The findings suggest that targeted training and incentives for CHWs can effectively enhance childhood immunization efforts in Nigerian states. Implementing sustained education programmes and financial support for CHW services will be essential for long-term improvements in vaccination coverage. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.