The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Published 17 years ago
Last updated 3 years ago
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Nigeria Review of July 2008 Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) conducted in high-risk and re-infected states

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Nigeria remains fully committed to polio eradication. Between January and July 2008, the highest risk states in the country implemented five immunization campaigns during which mOPV1 was used four times and mOPV3 was used once. The Nigerian Government and partners continue to put in efforts to improve quality and coverage of Polio eradication immunization campaigns. A failure to consistently achieve high coverage has however resulted in persistent high level wild poliovirus transmission, even after 3 campaigns with mOPV1 in most high-risk states. Nigeria accounts for 90% of all 2008 polio cases due WPV1 globally. Six states in the country account for nearly 80% of all the 2008 polio cases. The main challenges that have contributed to sub-optimal coverage of the July IPDs 2008 include lack of sufficient programme ownership and oversight; poor coordination particularly at operational level; poor implementation of micro-planning, training and house-to-house vaccination activities; insufficient provision of other child survival interventions particularly other vaccines; poor cold chain maintenance; insufficient community engagement as well as gaps in monitoring and evaluation. Of the 15 states that participated in the July 2008 IPDs only 2 states (Jigawa, and Kebbi) achieved highest coverage at both state and LGA level in July compared to April and May 2008 IPDs Child absent at time of vaccinators visit and non-compliance accounted for 51% and 40% respectively of children found unvaccinated at the end of the July 2008 IPDs. In the 2nd quarter of 2008, 3 high risk states i.e. Bauchi, Kano and Katsina had >20% children aged 6-35 months who had never received a single dose of OPV. Prior to the April 2008 IPDs, Nigeria had a total of 181 WPV1 cases in 97 LGAs. After May IPDs, Nigeria has a total of 172 WPV1 in 86 LGAs. Best practices reported by different states have been used to identify the way forward to address the identified operational challenges. Other priority activities recommended include targeted high-level advocacy in the highest risk States and LGAs; enhanced accountability and coordination particularly at operational level; participatory reviews at State and LGA level; improving routine immunization and other “in-between campaign” immunization activities; as well as close monitoring of the implementation of the recommendations of the 15th Expert Review Committee (ERC) meeting.