Page 88 - IJPS-10-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Perception and acceptance readiness for COVID-19 vaccine

rate among staff and students in a Nigerian university was Congo and Ghana, respectively, indicated that they would
65.0 % (Uzochukwu et al., 2021). In Delta state and North- accept COVID-19 vaccine if it was made available (Nzaji
East Nigeria, the levels of willingness to take COVID-19 et al., 2020; Agyekum et al., 2021).
vaccines were 48.6% and 40.0%, respectively (Josiah & Several limitations of this study should be acknowledged.
Kantaris, 2021; Mustapha et al., 2021), and 51.1% of the First, the sample size was small and the findings yielded in
respondents in Kano, Nigeria, were willing to take the this study cannot be generalized to the current population
vaccine (Iliyasu et al., 2021). Another paper reported that of Nigeria. Second, the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance,
58.2% of the respondents in several Nigeria states, which perception, and hesitancy are changing rapidly, and thus,
exceeds the average acceptance level, were willing to take
COVID-19 vaccine (Olomofe et al., 2021). Although the the evaluation of these parameters measured during
level of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy reported in this April 2021 can only provide a snapshot of perception
study is equivalent to that reported elsewhere in Nigeria, we and acceptance readiness at that particular time. Despite
cannot deny that the vaccine acceptance rate or hesitancy portraying “static situation” concerning the COVID-19
level could be impacted by the timing of conducting cross- palliatives in 2021, the findings in this study shed light
sectional surveys. on the slow COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Nigeria as
compared to other developed countries. Besides, these
The current study identified three principal reasons findings are also helpful for formulating strategies for
fueling the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: Doubt about the boosting vaccine acceptance rate in future. Third, the
authenticity/safety/effectiveness, low level of trust in the current set of findings cannot be generalized to older
government, and fear of side effects. The same set of reasons adults as most of the respondents in this study were youths
was also cited in the studies by Papagiannis et al. (2021) of 30 years of age and below. Finally, about 80% of the
and Almalki et al. (2021), in which many respondents respondents were from the South-West Nigeria but only
claimed that the fear toward the vaccine, its potential 20% from other five geopolitical zones. Therefore, these
long-term side effects, and the lack of trust in government findings are also not representative of the situation of the
or inefficient government efforts and initiatives were the other five zones. However, this study could serve as a guide
three main factors contributing to vaccination hesitancy for carrying out related research in these zones.
(Shakeel et al., 2022). However, high level of acceptance
readiness for COVID-19 vaccine was detected in the 5. Conclusion
United Kingdom (73.5%) (Sherman et al., 2022), Saudi
Arabia (>90%) (Almalki et al., 2021), Malaysia (Marzo In general, among the Nigerian respondents surveyed,
et al., 2021), Shanghai in China (Wu et al, 2021), Japan the percentage of individuals who have taken COVID-19
(Machida et al., 2021), Bangladesh (72%) (Hossain et al., vaccine was very low. A more noteworthy finding of
2021), and Somalia (Ahmed et al., 2021). One major factor this study is that rural dwellers and health workers
that may have accounted for this exceptionally high level accounted for a bigger portion among those who have
of vaccine acceptance is that residents in these countries or been vaccinated. We also found high levels of negative
regions have heightened level of trust in the government perception on COVID-19 vaccine and non-readiness to get
compared to that in the Nigerian context. The low trust in vaccinated among the respondents. This study was unable
government might be related to the alleged politicization to unravel any variables associated with non-readiness to
in the distribution process of COVID-19 palliatives in the accept COVID-19 vaccine, which could serve as targets
country (Eranga, 2020). for addressing this particular conundrum. However,
public health authorities including governmental and non-
Findings also showed that health workers were more
willing to accept the vaccine compared with non-health governmental bodies are recommended to participate in
workers. In concordance with our study, a study found that continuous public engagement to assure the public that
only slightly more than half of the surveyed health workers the vaccine is safe and effective, so as to assuage the fear
in Nigeria (55.5%) were willing to receive vaccination toward the vaccine and improve vaccine acceptance.
(Adejumo et al., 2021), which is in stark contrast to the Acknowledgments
higher percentages among health professionals in Greece
(74.0%) (Papagiannis et al., 2021), Morocco (62.0%) The paper was presented at the Conference on Population
(Khalis et al., 2021), and Mozambique (86.6%) (Dula et al., and Reproductive Health Dynamics Under COVID-19 in
2021). Furthermore, the vaccine acceptance rates in the Sub-Saharan Africa that was hosted by the University of
aforementioned nations were higher than those reported the Witwatersrand, South Africa through its Demography
in other developing countries. For example, 27.7% and and Population Studies Programme. The Conference was
39.3% of the respondents in Democratic Republic of the supported under the auspices of the Science Granting

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 82 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.364