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 provides an overview of the development of data tools within Nigeria's polio communication programme, and provides examples of data collection, sample forms, the monitoring process and data flow. Additional sources of communication data are considered, as well as key issues and challenges facing the programme and the proposed way forward for the upcoming year.

Data tools are developed by the Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group, in consultation with other groups working in polio communication in Nigeria. Once approved by the Core Group, these tools are sent to states and legal government areas (LGAs), while electronic databases are created or revised to incorporate these new indicators. The following three sets of forms comprise the data tool checklist:

1. Pre-implementation Forms - Utilised by senior supervisors and LGA Health Education Officers.
2. Implementation Forms - Utilised by recorders in fixed posts or house-to-house teams.
3. In-process and end-process monitoring forms - Utilised by independent monitors and senior supervisors.

Programme monitors work closely with the LGA teams, conducting end-process monitoring in 60 households per day, within two days of implementation in each of these households. The end-process data is submitted to LGA teams and shared with state teams. Monitors are selected through preference for mature, responsible social service workers, who are able to speak the local language, are culturally sensitive and in most cases are female. Their training focuses on understanding the monitoring tools, sampling houses and conducting household interviews.



Data flow within the programme, through the collection of the various forms described above, progresses from the LGA level in summary form to the state database, then on to the national database, after which it is received by the Working Groups. Additional sources of communication data include tools employed by Partners in Social Mobilisation, as well as third-party research studies.



The key issues remaining include questionable quality of data management of the state level, the capacity for analysis of communication data at the state level, and inadequate personnel dedicated to collecting communication data at the LGA and community levels. There is a recognized need for greater involvement of the Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group in the development of tools by different partners.



Challenges the team is currently facing include:

• Weak capacity of vaccination team personnel to properly use tools.
• Weak database management capacity at state-level.
• Weak capacity for data analysis at LGA level.
• Data falsification at team and LGA levels.
• Frequent revisions to data tools and collection process.

In order to move the programme forward past these obstacles, the team hopes to review the training and selection of recorders in vaccination teams, as well as build capacity in data management and data quality checks for state personnel. It is also hoped that improved support can be provided by states to LGAs in relation to data analysis and planning.



In conclusion, the team asked the following question of the Technical Advisory Group panel:


How can the collection and analysis of data at the LGA level be strengthened to ensure that planning of communication interventions is data-driven?

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