Presented at: The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Meeting on Communication for Polio Eradication - Abuja, Nigeria

This PowerPoint presentation was part of a June 2007 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)-hosted meeting dedicated to examining polio communication efforts, in the context of the final global push towards polio eradication. State-specific presentations for Nigeria’s polio-endemic states were given by in-country communication and health practitioners. These were assessed by an external Technical Advisory Group (TAG) panel of experts who provided communication strategy recommendations based on evidence presented and data gathered on field-visits to endemic states. Communication strategies presented at this meeting were primarily focused on:

1. Analysing the results of programmes implemented to June 2007.
2. Detailing activities on national and sub-national levels, specific to social mobilisation, community engagement, data monitoring and media and political advocacy strategies.
3. Suggesting a planned communication programme for the next 6- to 12-month period, designed to support Nigeria’s polio eradication efforts in the event of a resurgence of cases or population/programme fatigue.

This presentation opens with an overview of the epidemiological trends and the wild poliovirus (WPV) case profile for Nigeria’s Kano state in 2007. It describes the current communication platform, programme objectives for the remainder of 2007, strategic planning and results of these interventions. It concludes with a discussion of residual and ongoing challenges, new initiatives aimed at addressing these challenges, and the next steps forward.

The summary given here of Kano’s polio programme state profile reveals 2,790 vaccination posts which service a population of 8.9 million people. In the period between January and June 2007, 22 WPV cases were recorded, as compared to 151 cases of diagnosed acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).

Kano’s polio communication strategic platforms currently centre on the following areas:

1. Community Engagement
2. Working with Traditional/Religious Leaders
3. Programme Communication
4. Traditional/Mass Media

Strategic planning is aimed at addressing the major issues of missed children, non-compliance and sources of misinformation regarding polio within the state. Data from the March 2007 Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs), focused in Panisau Ward, is used here to illustrate the relative impact of each of these issues on vaccination coverage. The major reason for non-compliance within the state population is seen to be the undertaking of too many vaccination rounds. In order to address these concerns, community mobilisation between rounds has introduced a number of initiatives, including deployment of vaccinators to Islamiyya schools for sensitisation before rounds; engagement of the Muslim Women Association (FOMWAN) in house-to-house visits; identification of non-compliance households and resolution of those cases; and identification of newborns and zero-dose children for vaccination. In addition, community mobilisation efforts are supported through a network of partners, including:

• Nigeria Medical Association (NMA): Provide supervision, monitoring and immunisation in secondary and tertiary health facilities.
• Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA): Educators who support community dialogues aimed at reaching school head teachers and the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA).
• Adolescent Health Information Project (AHIP): Reach out to youth through football programmes, peer education and interpersonal communication (IPC).
• Qu’aranic School Teachers: Reach out to Islamiyya schools.
• Kano Polio Victims Trust Association (KPVTA): Assist in resolving non-compliance and support teams during implementation.

The results of these strategies reflect an overall reduction in the number of zero-dose children within the state, from 8% in September 2006 to 4% in March 2007.

Some continuing issues noted in this presentation include reaching the nomadic Fulani communities and missed opportunities to vaccinate children in-transit. Other residual challenges include low morale or motivation of vaccination team members, as well as an ongoing shortage of other antigens in health facilities.

A number of new initiatives are being implemented across the programme, including:

• The involvement of Fulani development Association of Nigeria (FULDAN).
• Tripartite planning meeting involving Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states.
• Involvement of ward level development committees.
• Involvement of local Islamiyya schools.

The team also plans to continue community dialogues at all levels, facilitate cross-border/inter-state/local government meetings to ensure all border communities are reached, and involve religious leaders in training of vaccination team members, in the hopes of leading the programme forward in the latter half of 2007.

Click here to download the full PowerPoint presentation as a PDF document.