The People Ending Polio in Nigeria

“I enjoy going to the field; I enjoy seeing the children. It feels like they are my children too. I know them and they know me. I enjoy talking with the mothers. I tell them about how vaccines protect children, and how breastmilk builds the soldiers inside your child and it saves you money because you don’t need to find food for your child to eat.” Aminatu Zubairu, Volunteer Community Mobilizer.

“Surveillance to detect polio is a big focus for us. The polio network is not only detecting polio but also other diseases, like measles.” Mimuna Abba, Mashamari Health Centre Director

“We have some challenges sometimes because we are refugees. The mothers talk with me because I’m like them, I’m from this community. I talk to mothers about the importance of coming to the clinic, the importance of immunization. We are seeing an increase in routine immunization of 50% more. We are so proud of this.” Aisha Wakil, Volunteer Community Mobilizer, Jere, Maiduguri, Borno

“I like this job because when I play my music, all the children come around and dance with me. I like that I’m helping them get the polio vaccine. The children like me because they know when they hear my music, they will get vaccinated and then they will get a sweet, or some soap.” Ali Mohamed, Megafone announcer, Jere, Maiduguri, Borno

“In 2011 there was a high level of refusals in the community for vaccination, so we started telling parents that if they wanted to go to the Haj (in Saudi Arabia) they needed to be vaccinated against polio. In the past you would see a lot of children with polio and now it has reduced drastically. We have seen it ourselves. We have seen this disease end with our own eyes.” Shet Dr Ali Mustafa, Director of Sharia, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Borno and State Religious Focal Person, GPEI

“Journalists Against Polio is a group of voluntary media personnel who come together to work for women and children. We have about 15 committed members from different media stations across radio, television and newspapers and we hold a meeting two weeks before every campaign. We ask for air time and we provide jingles to be played. We are tired. The parents are tired. The children are tired. But we have to finish the job.” Pauline Ibrahim, Journalists Against Polio Coordinator

“We came down from the mountain. I belong to the Zalidra Tribe. I lived in a mud house. We had a well. Many of my community are living here in these tents. We are happy, because it’s safe here. I have never been to the school, but they trained me about polio and vaccination, about handwashing and breastfeeding, and now I am providing the young mothers with information.” Aisha Filibus, VCM Wakani internally displaced persons camp, Gwoze, Borno

“This LGA has 11 wards and only one is accessible, where polio campaigns can take place. The other 10 are partially accessible via our Reaching Every Settlement strategy. We’re vaccinating all new arrivals up to 10 years of age, and we have special teams going to the schools, the playgrounds. This city is very important for polio eradication, it’s the last place in Africa that has had polio, and we are working very hard to protect all children here against the disease.” Mohammed Dupime, WHO Cluster Coordinator, Monguno, Borno

“All people have to walk past us here when they enter the city. So we vaccinate all the children under 10. Today so far we vaccinated 37 children who arrived. We also immunize the children under one against measles and polio. This is the first time most of them have ever received health care. It makes me proud to serve my people like this.” Abubakar Gambo, Transit Team Health Worker

“When we offer other things beyond polio, it helps the community live better and it helps to reduce refusals. Routine immunization coverage has increased greatly because of our social mobilizers – the mothers really appreciate our guidance.” Helen Jatau, Local Government Area Supervisor.