The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported significant progress in addressing polio vaccination non-compliance in the Kundum Durum community of Bauchi Local Government Area, Bauchi State.
During a monitoring exercise, Nuru Abdullahi, the Polio Ward Focal Person for Kundum Durum, told journalists that on the first day of the campaign, non-compliance was observed in 10 households. However, the situation has since improved markedly.
“Out of over 2,000 houses visited in the community, fewer than 10 still recorded cases of non-compliance,” he said, noting that residents are now gradually embracing the polio vaccine. He further explained that even those few cases were quickly resolved, especially following a supervisory visit by Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, UNICEF’s Chief of Office in Bauchi.
By the third day of the vaccination campaign, over 4,000 children aged zero to five had received the vaccine, according to Nuru. He highlighted the commitment of health workers, especially those in remote areas, who often travel long distances to reach underserved communities.
Nuru also praised the timely increase in allowances, describing it as both commendable and motivating for field personnel. He confirmed that the ward received adequate supplies of vaccines and materials needed for the exercise.
He credited much of the campaign’s success to the active involvement of traditional leaders and the recruitment of ad-hoc vaccinators from within the community, which he described as a “game changer.”
Adding to the discussion, Nasiru Ahmad, the Ward Head of Durum and overseer of the Kundum Durum catchment area, explained that the initial vaccine hesitancy was not due to cultural or religious reasons. Instead, he said, some residents used the vaccination campaign to express frustration over perceived exclusion from government palliative distributions.
“Whenever the government distributes palliatives, some residents who don’t benefit tend to vent their frustration on vaccination teams,” Ahmad said. “But unlike other areas where immunisations are flatly rejected, our challenges are usually resolved promptly through the intervention of community representatives.”
The stakeholders emphasized that continued community engagement, equitable distribution of incentives, and local participation are key to sustaining immunisation efforts and achieving full coverage.
