Pentavalent Vaccination in Rural Kenya: Coverage and Geographical Accessibility to Health Facilities Using Data from a Community Demographic and Health Surveillance System in Kilifi County

There is substantial evidence that immunization is one of the most signi cant and cost-effective pillars of preventive and promotive health interventions. Effective childhood immunization coverage is thus essential in stemming persistent childhood illnesses. The main indicator of performance of the immunisation programme is the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine for children because it mirrors the completeness of a child’s immunisation schedule. Spatial access to a health facility, especially in SSA countries, is a signi cant determinant of DTP3 vaccination coverage, as the vaccine is mainly administered during routine immunisation schedules at health facilities. Rural areas and densely populated informal settlements are most affected by poor access to healthcare services. We therefore sought to determine vaccination coverage of DTP3, estimate the travel time to health facilities offering immunisation services, and explore its effect on immunisation coverage in one of the predominantly rural counties on the coast of Kenya.