1.1 Introduction
Community mobilization is defined as a process of engaging and empowering local populations to identify, prioritize, and address their own needs, with the ultimate aim of fostering collective action for social change (Howard-Grabman & Snetro, 2003). In public health, community mobilization is an essential strategy for promoting awareness, participation, and ownership of health interventions, particularly in disease prevention and eradication programs. It involves the active participation of community leaders, health workers, volunteers, and residents in planning and implementing initiatives that improve health outcomes (WHO, 2021). Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under five years of age, potentially leading to irreversible paralysis or death (World Health Organization, 2023).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Historically, polio eradication efforts in Nigeria, particularly in Kano State, is deeply intertwined with the evolution of global and national public health strategies aimed at eliminating the disease. According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI, 2022), the worldwide campaign to eradicate polio was launched in 1988, with Nigeria identified as one of the priority countries due to its high burden of cases. The World Health Organization reported that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, polio was endemic across Nigeria, with thousands of children affected annually. Early national immunization programs primarily relied on mass vaccination days, but challenges in community acceptance hindered optimal coverage.
Polio eradication has been one of the most ambitious global public health initiatives of the past three decades. According to the World Health Organization (2023), poliomyelitis is a highly contagious viral disease that predominantly affects children under five years old, causing irreversible paralysis and, in severe cases, death. The organization reported that while global vaccination campaigns have reduced polio cases by over 99% since 1988, some regions, including parts of Nigeria, have historically experienced persistent virus transmission due to social, cultural, and infrastructural challenges (World Health Organization, 2023).
Community mobilization has been recognized as a pivotal approach in overcoming such barriers. Howard-Grabman and Snetro (2003) asserted that community mobilization involves engaging local populations to identify and solve problems collectively, fostering ownership of public health initiatives. in the context of immunization, it ensures that interventions are not only delivered but also accepted by the target population. Usman et al. (2019) affirmed that in Nigeria, particularly in high-risk states such as Kano, effective community engagement has been instrumental in improving immunization coverage and reducing vaccine hesitancy.
Yahya (2007) stated that resistance to polio vaccination in Northern Nigeria has often been linked to misinformation, distrust of health authorities, and religious misconceptions, which sometimes manifest as outright refusal to participate in immunization programs. Such resistance is compounded by infrastructural difficulties that hinder vaccine delivery to remote communities. Adeniran et al. (2020) contended that without tailored mobilization strategies that account for cultural and religious sensitivities, even well-resourced campaigns may fail to achieve universal coverage (Adeniran et al., 2020). The WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State have employed a range of community mobilization strategies, including the use of respected traditional and religious leaders to advocate for vaccination, the recruitment of local women as mobilizers to reach mothers in households, and the implementation of door-to-door campaigns to ensure no child is missed. This study is set against the backdrop of evaluating how community mobilization influences the success of WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that the eradication of polio remains a major public health priority in Nigeria, with Kano State being one of the areas that has historically posed significant challenges to achieving this goal (Adebayo et al., 2020). A major challenge is the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation, religious misconceptions, and mistrust towards health authorities. In some communities, the perception of polio vaccination as an external agenda rather than a public health necessity reduces the willingness of parents to present their children for immunization (Yahya, 2007).
On the other hand, while some community leaders and mobilizers actively support the campaigns, others exhibit passive or selective involvement, thereby undermining uniform coverage. Furthermore, poor road networks, difficult terrains, and limited transportation options hinder timely vaccine delivery to remote communities. Additionally, inadequate training and motivation for community mobilizers result in suboptimal outreach performance, with some households repeatedly missed during immunization rounds (Usman et al., 2019). It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to examine the role of community mobilization in polio eradication efforts.
1.4 Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to examine how community mobilization influences the effectiveness of WHO immunization campaigns in eradicating polio in Kano State. It aims to assess the strategies employed to engage local populations, address vaccine hesitancy, and improve vaccination coverage. The study also seeks to identify the challenges and gaps in current mobilization approaches and propose evidence-based recommendations for strengthening community engagement to achieve sustainable polio eradication outcomes.
1.5 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of community mobilization in the eradication of polio, with a specific focus on WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State, in order to determine its effectiveness, challenges, and contribution to achieving sustainable vaccination coverage. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To assess the strategies used in community mobilization during WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State.
- To examine the extent to which community mobilization influences vaccination acceptance and coverage.
- To identify the challenges faced in implementing community mobilization for polio eradication in Kano State.
- To analyze the role of community leaders, religious institutions, and local volunteers in promoting immunization.
- To propose recommendations for improving community mobilization strategies to support polio eradication efforts.
1.6 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What strategies are used in community mobilization during WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State?
- To what extent does community mobilization influence vaccination acceptance and coverage in Kano State?
- What challenges are faced in implementing community mobilization for polio eradication in Kano State?
- What roles do community leaders, religious institutions, and local volunteers play in promoting immunization?
- What recommendations can be made to improve community mobilization strategies to support polio eradication efforts?
1.7 Research Hypotheses
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Community mobilization does not have a significant influence on vaccination acceptance and coverage during WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State.
- H1: Community mobilization has a significant positive influence on vaccination acceptance and coverage during WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State.
1.8 Significance of Study
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will contribute to improving the collaboration between health authorities and community structures, ensuring stronger and more sustainable eradication efforts. The findings will also help shape future policies and strategies that enhance the sustainability of polio eradication gains and strengthen broader immunization systems in Nigeria and beyond.
Furthermore, the study will expand the academic body of knowledge on public health mobilization strategies, while also offering lessons that will be applicable to other immunization programs and disease control initiatives. Additionally, the results will help inform better policy formulation and resource allocation in future health campaigns.
Lastly, the study will serve as a resource for academic researchers and students by expanding the body of literature on public health communication, social mobilization, and disease eradication.
1.9 Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study is limited to WHO immunization campaigns in Kano State, Nigeria, with a particular focus on the strategies and impact of community mobilization in polio eradication efforts. The scope involves collecting information from health workers, community mobilizers, local leaders, and residents who have participated in vaccination programs. However, the study was constrained by limited funding, which affected the scale of data collection. Other limitations include delays in responses from key informants, logistical difficulties in reaching some remote communities, and occasional power supply interruptions during data processing.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Community Mobilization:
According to Howard-Grabman and Snetro (2003), community mobilization is a process of engaging and empowering local populations to take collective action in addressing shared needs. In this study, it refers to strategies used to involve Kano communities in polio immunization campaigns.
Polio (Poliomyelitis):
The World Health Organization (2023) defines polio as a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects young children, potentially causing permanent paralysis. In this context, it is the target disease for eradication efforts in Kano State.
Immunization Campaign:
As stated by WHO (2021), an immunization campaign is a coordinated effort to administer vaccines to a large segment of the population within a specific time frame to prevent or eliminate disease. Here, it refers to WHO-led polio vaccination drives in Kano State.
Vaccine Hesitancy:
According to MacDonald et al. (2015), vaccine hesitancy is the delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite the availability of vaccination services. In this study, it is one of the barriers addressed through community mobilization.
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