We were honored to be tapped to implement this critical study that assessed child immunization coverage across the five provinces of the Cagayan Valley Region. Using the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling method, we gathered household-level data to guide targeted strategies for improving the region’s immunization outcomes.

Survey Coverage and Methodology

The survey was conducted in November 2019 among households with children aged twelve to twenty three months in Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. Our team led the training of data collectors from the Department of Health Nurse Deployment Program, supervised field activities in randomly selected barangays, and validated entries before final data analysis.

Focus of the Study

The study aimed to determine the percentage of fully immunized children and completely immunized children. It also examined demographic patterns, vaccine availability, health worker contact, and caregiver knowledge. Another key area was understanding the reasons behind missed vaccinations and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Findings and Areas of Concern

Among all five provinces, Batanes recorded the highest performance with fully immunized coverage at ninety five percent and complete immunization at one hundred percent. This outcome reflected strong coordination with the Rural Health Unit and consistent access to services. The other provinces posted lower figures. Nueva Vizcaya had a fully immunized coverage of seventy four percent while Isabela reached eighty five percent. Specific supervision areas in Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino were flagged for urgent action based on LQAS decision rules.

Common reasons for incomplete vaccination included child illness during scheduled visits, limited caregiver knowledge, unavailability of vaccines, fear of adverse effects, and absence of the responsible adult during health visits. In some provinces, children caught up on their immunizations before age two. For instance, sixteen of the twenty five children in Nueva Vizcaya who were not fully immunized by age one completed their shots within the next year. In Quirino, only three of twenty children achieved full coverage after age one, pointing to gaps in post visit follow-up.

Implications and Next Steps

The findings demonstrated the usefulness of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling as a practical tool for subregional immunization tracking. The results helped stakeholders focus attention and resources on specific supervision areas with the most pressing needs. Strengthening vaccine education, ensuring regular presence of health workers in communities, and maintaining reliable vaccine supply chains will be critical to reaching more children and improving overall coverage.

To request the full report or explore how similar studies can support your local health goals, please get in touch with us. We would be happy to share our experience and work with you to strengthen immunization systems.