COMPASS' general approach is to blanket communities with information about polio, drawing on partner organisations such as the Federation of Muslim Women's Associations of Nigeria. Through such collaborative efforts, they lead monthly house-to-house visits to resolve non-compliant cases and to persuade Imams to include immunisation messages in their sermons. Thus, mobilising communities is a core COMPASS strategy.

This strategy is illustrated by a particular effort carried out during the early March 2007 round of Immunization Plus Days (IPDs). In an effort to reach nomadic Fulanis, COMPASS stimulated an intensive dialogue in Gwaram Local Government Area (LGA). As part of this process, 15 Fulani Ardos (leaders) shared their fears and assumptions about polio immunisation, and learned of the importance getting their children immunised. COMPASS claims that, by the end of these dialogues, they were "thoroughly convinced about the importance of the immunization effort and spearheaded a local campaign by bringing their own children for immunizations. As expected, other Fulanis followed suit and as a result, 7,022 children were immunized; 261 had never received the vaccine."

Based on the success in Gwaram, the initiative was undertaken in 3 other LGAs: Guri, Buji, and Birnin-Kudu. Myetti Allah, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), supported an advocacy meeting with 79 Ardos, which resulted in the immunisation of 18,081 children (467 zero-dose). With COMPASS technical support, Myetti Allah continued the initiative in Kiyawa, Kazaure, Garki, Taura, Kaugama, Ringim, Gagarawa, and Dutse.

Health, Polio, Immunisation and Vaccines.

COMPASS explains that, despite several rounds of nationwide immunisations, Nigeria remains a centre of transmission of the Wild Polio Virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 800 cases of Wild Polio were diagnosed in Nigeria in 2004.

The vast greenery in a district that is 90% farming remains a major attraction to Fulani herders, who frequently visit in search of good pasture and water, and to trade their diary products to sedentary farmers. It is for this reason that their lifestyle is nomadic, leading to some missed immunisation opportunities.

By the end of the March 2007 IPDs, the initiative had been applied in 11 LGAs, leaving 29,627 eligible children (1,049 zero-dose) immunised. According to COMPASS, a quick analysis showed that just during the late March 2007 IPD campaign, zero-dose cases dropped by 31.8% (83) and immunisation increased by 2.4% (7193) in Gwaram alone. "Targeting specific clusters of the community has proved successful in Jigawa and we are now adapting this approach to other States where we work," said COMPASS Regional Polio Activities Director Lola Mabogunje.