Primary health care workers are the first to come in contact with parents and should provide evidence-based information on the benefits and risks of vaccines, demonstrate to have competence and identify properly Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI). The knowledge, perceptions, and practices of health workers towards surveillance of AEFI influence the quality and safety of the vaccination services.

This study aimed to assess health care providers’ knowledge, Perception, Practice towards AEFI reporting and to identify factors and challenges affecting Health Care Provider for reporting AEFI.

The study is conducted in Gambella Regional State Majang Zone of Godere and Mengesh Woredas. The study included all those HEWs working in Health Posts, Focal Persons of EPI, Surveillance and Health Management Information System in the Zone, Woreda, Hospital and Health Centers and Head of Health Centers and Hospitals. Cross sectional survey type employed for conducting the study and a total of 109 health care providers included in the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model.

This study revealed that out of all respondents 102 (94%) had good knowledge on causes of AEFI and 75 (69%) had good knowledge on the sign and symptoms of AEFI while 46 (42.2%) had poor knowledge on AEFI case treatment, 50 (45.9%) did not know about case investigation and 48 (44%) did not know on AEFI reporting. Also 67 (61.5%) of them did not know as vaccine reaction cause AEFI and 66 (60.6%) of them did not know adrenaline to manage anaphylaxis shock. Using all knowledge indicators, 94(86.2%) respondents had good knowledge and all (100%) had positive perception towards AEFI reporting which was above the mean value. Similarly, taking all perception indicators all (100%) had positive perception towards AEFI reporting which was above the mean value. However, 31(60.6%) of them thought reporting of AEFI can lead to personal consequence and 81 (74.3%) believed reporting of AEFI such as injection abscess will make him/her guilty. Regarding to practice of AEFI reporting, of all respondents, 94 (86%), 100 (92%), 99(91%), 76 (70%) had poor practice on Case exposure, Logistic supply, Reporting and Documentation of AEFI related aspects respectively while 80 (73%) had good AEFI Prevention Practice but taking all perception indicators 92 (84%) respondents had poor practice in AEFI surveillance. Even if the FMOH Ethiopia requires active AEFI reporting through the existing health system the majority of Health Care Providers were not reporting AEFI to next higher levels because of a number of reasons which hinder them and the majors were; there was no training, no report form and lack of knowledge on AEFI, no transportation to travel to next level and no follow up or supervision from Woreda Health Office. Factors which showed association during bivariate analysis were Level of Education, Location of Institution, Distance of Health Facility, Electricity and Training on AEFI but only availability of Partners Support (p< 0.05) and knowledge to AEFI Case Management (p<0.05) were significantly associated in multivariate analysis.

Intensive AEFI training has to be given to enhance the knowledge and capacity of Health Care Providers on AEFI and necessary logistic for AEFI surveillance such as guideline and reporting formats have to be supplied through government and partners working on immunization and surveillance.