Vaccine Hesitancy, Greatest Obstacle To Nigeria Attaining Optimal Vaccination Rates — PSHAN

In Nigeria, the greatest obstacle to achieving high and optimal vaccination rates is vaccine hesitancy, a phenomenon whereby parents or their children refuse to vaccinate on ethical, religious or health grounds. Vaccine hesitancy is widespread in rural and semi-urban areas, where socio-economic factors including poverty contribute to pressure on families and communities to adhere to alternative beliefs.