**8. Prevention**

The effective method of preventing tetanus is by immunization with tetanus toxoid containing vaccines. The vaccine is cheap, effective and safe for all age groups. In children, three doses are given from as early as six weeks of life and repeated at intervals of 4 weeks. It is also advised that three booster doses are given to confer lifelong immunity. It is also administered to pregnant women during pregnancy as a part of ante natal care package and also women in the reproductive age groups. To

maintain high level of protection, individuals with cuts and open wound are given the tetanus toxoid containing vaccine [9].
