{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T18:04:45Z","timestamp":1789495485178,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789430400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Vaccination competency is a critical determinant of immunization quality and safety. However, limited evidence exists on the practical skills of frontline providers in Ethiopia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A facility-based observational study assessing vaccination competency among health care providers involved in routine childhood immunization.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 34 providers were observed while administering 10 vaccine doses each, resulting in 340 observed vaccination encounters. Competency was assessed using a structured checklist covering patient\/parent education, medical and office protocols, vaccine preparation, vaccine administration, and record-keeping. A composite competency score was calculated for each provider and expressed as a percentage. Domain-specific competency scores were summarized using descriptive statistics, and providers scoring \u226580% were classified as competent. We observed 340 vaccination procedures performed by healthcare providers in 34 health facilities. Most providers were aged 30\u201339 years (19\/34), male (22\/34), held a Bachelor of Science (23\/34), and had 6\u201310 years of work experience (20\/34). Competency varied across domains, with the highest performance in vaccine administration (71%) and the lowest in record-keeping (22%). The overall mean competency score was 50%, below the predefined 80% competence threshold.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Moderate technical skills but failure in infection control, patient communication, and documentation resulted in weak practical competency, were observed from this study. Data indicate a gap between knowledge-based practice and actual performance. To improve immunization service, it is essential to enhance supervision and mentorship, focus on vaccine information system usage, and provide regular competency-based training for EPI providers. Strengthening routine monitoring and supportive supervision is critical, along with further research to identify barriers and assess training effectiveness. Addressing these gaps is vital for enhancing the quality and coverage of immunization services.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0358136","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T17:32:57Z","timestamp":1789493577000},"page":"e0358136","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessment of vaccination competency among health workers in health facilities in East Wollega, Oromia, Western Ethiopia: An observational study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Adugna","family":"Olani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Wollega University","place":["Nekemte, Ethiopia"],"department":["School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute of Health Sciences"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-5052-7962","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gedefa","family":"Bayisa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wollega University","place":["Nekemte, Ethiopia"],"department":["Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5283-0562","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Merga","family":"Chala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wollega University","place":["Nekemte, Ethiopia"],"department":["School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute of Health Sciences"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lami","family":"Gurmessa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wollega University","place":["Nekemte, Ethiopia"],"department":["School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute of Health Sciences"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiregna","family":"Fayera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wollega University","place":["Nekemte, Ethiopia"],"department":["School of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0358136.ref001","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Immunization [Online]; 2019. Available from: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/facts-in-pictures\/detail\/immunization#:~:text=Immunization%20currently%20prevents%204-5,if%20global%20vaccination%20coverage%20improves"},{"key":"pone.0358136.ref002","unstructured":"A. P. Report. Annual Progress Report Inside This Report; 2020."},{"key":"pone.0358136.ref003","volume-title":"World health statistics 2021: monitoring health for the SDGs, sustainable development goals","author":"World Health Organization (WHO)","year":"2021"},{"key":"pone.0358136.ref004","unstructured":"Federal Ministry of Health. Ethiopia\u2019s Expanded Program on Immunization: Annual Report [Online]. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2020. Available from: https:\/\/www.moh.gov.et\/am\/node\/152#:~:text=An%20integrated%20HPV%20and%20MCV2,YF%20vaccine%20in%20the%20future"},{"key":"pone.0358136.ref005","first-page":"1","volume-title":"WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC)","author":"UNCF & World Health Organization","year":"2025"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0358136.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"592","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-18077-w","article-title":"High prevalence of zero-dose children in underserved and special setting populations in Ethiopia using a generalize estimating equation and concentration index analysis","volume":"24","author":"GA Biks","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0358136.ref007","unstructured":"WHO. Vaccines and immunization: vaccine safety [Online]; 2023. Available from: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/questions-and-answers\/item\/vaccines-and-immunization-vaccine-safety"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0358136.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2024-018293","article-title":"The Immunization Agenda 2030 Strategy to reach zero-dose children in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review","volume":"10","author":"A Beaulieu","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMJ Glob Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0358136.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1186\/s12960-019-0437-6","article-title":"Pre- and in-service training of health care workers on immunization data management in LMICs: a scoping review","volume":"17","author":"E Nicol","year":"2019","journal-title":"Hum Resour Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358136.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.4314\/ejhs.v28i2.9","article-title":"Infection prevention practices and associated factors among healthcare workers in governmental healthcare facilities in Addis Ababa","volume":"28","author":"B Sahiledengle","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ethiop J Health Sci"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0358136.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajic.2018.09.014","article-title":"Barriers to hand hygiene practices among health care workers in sub-Saharan African countries: a narrative review","volume":"47","author":"Y Ataiyero","year":"2019","journal-title":"Am J Infect Control"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0358136.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0247459","article-title":"Knowledge, attitude and practice of vaccinators and vaccine handlers on vaccine cold chain management in public health facilities, Ethiopia: cross-sectional study","volume":"16","author":"SA Mohammed","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0358136.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1177\/20503121241237115","article-title":"The status of immunization program and challenges in Ethiopia: a mixed method study","volume":"12","author":"T Nigatu","year":"2024","journal-title":"SAGE Open Med"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0358136","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T17:33:02Z","timestamp":1789493582000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0358136"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"David J.","family":"Diemert","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences","place":["UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]},"references-count":13,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0358136","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]]}}}