COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The vaccination campaign was a collaborative effort. According to Mr. Ayuba Ismaila Oko (Project Manager, State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination Centre, and Deputy Director, Routine Immunisation Unit), the Executive Secretary of State set up a committee to develop the strategy that helped increase the number of vaccinated persons in the state. The committee was made up of NPHCDA officials, health officers from all 13 local government areas (LGAs) in the state, and selected officers from primary health centres (PHCs). Leaders of civil society organisations (CSOs), representatiaves from private organisations, and various other stakeholders were also part of the committee.

The state launched its mass vaccination campaign in November 2021 with a public education campaign to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Information, education, and communication (IEC) materials were distributed statewide; for example, cars and tricycles were used to advertise the campaign. Jingles were produced in English and translated into the 7n local languages. To ensure that the campaign reached every corner of the state, a purposeful effort was made to reach members of communities and associations through their leaders. Rallies during which comedians used local languages to create awareness were organised across each LGA, at motor parks, markets, health facilities, shopping malls, markets, and schools.

Dr Stephen Iliya Sasetu, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, revealed that members of the committee also "met with Fulani leaders, market leaders, leaders of drivers and motorcycle riders' associations, and various other traditional and group leaders. After the visits, a lot of them got vaccinated and then with evidence to show, they helped to mobilise their people." He added that the campaign achieved a heightened awareness of the importance of COVID-19 vaccination, which translated into behavioural change as, without being pushed, community dwellers visited facilities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Health workers were reportedly a great asset to the exercise. Besides their direct involvement in the campaign, frontline workers were also among the first set of people to get vaccinated and therefore convinced people to get vaccinated by sharing their own experiences. The state in turn motivated the health workers by paying them a fee for their services. As part of what Dr. Sasetu called "a proven strategy", team members who met their targets were rewarded more "in the moment of emergency". There were concerns about the state's ability to sustain the extra payment being made to health workers. But Mr. Oko thinks that it must be sustained because "you don't just sit and expect people to mobilise; there has to be a good reward system". He revealed that the state got approval for a fund from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to help ensure that the practice is sustained.

For the next phase of the vaccination campaign, teams made up of vaccinators, recorders, and mobilisers were assembled, trained, and sent out to communities. The communication campaign had paved the way for them, and so they went to areas where the rallies had mobilised people, as well as other public areas where people were most likely to converge, including public health facilities, designated private facilities, and the state secretariat. There, they sensitised and vaccinated people simultaneously. Umra Abdulahi Aliu, a recorder with the vaccination team at Bukan Sidi Primary Health Centre, said they also took advantage of seasonal gatherings. "During Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) exam registration and other such registration exercises, people are asked if they have gotten vaccination and if not, they are encouraged to get vaccinated at the nearest centre."

To stay up to date with the campaign, virtual meetings were organised every day, where all the teams met to debrief, trouble shoot on any issues encountered, and share key information on next steps of action. The state health secretary, some NPHCDA staff, and LGA team leads were always present at the meetings.

Among the challenges the teams have dealt with are misinformation about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. These issues are being tackled with the ongoing communications campaign, which will continue to run as long as the COVID-19 vaccine campaign is a priority. Another matter that arose was a man who was reported to have been selling COVID-19 vaccine cards to people who had not been vaccinated. The committee involved the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security bodies in the state. "Because there was an accountability framework and involvement of security groups, the culprit was punished accordingly," Mr. Oko said.

COVID-19, Immunnisation and Vaccines

In 2021, Nigeria set a target to achieve 70% coverage for COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022, but NPHCDA data revealed that as of June 1 2022, only 24.1% and 16.9% of Nigeria's eligible population had been partially and fully vaccinated against COVID-19, respectively. The numbers vary by state, ranging from over 3 million fully vaccinated in Kano to over 26,000 in Bayelsa. However, every state in Nigeria is committed to ensuring that its citizens receive the COVID-19 vaccine. All states - particularly those with the lowest numbers - must heighten efforts to increase their numbers. Long dependent on wealthy nations for its vaccine supplies, Nigeria is building its own vaccine manufacturing capacity, as President Buhari announced in January 2022.