Background: As 1 of 3 remaining poliovirus-endemic countries, Nigeria has become key to the global polio eradication effort. We evaluated supplemental immunization activities, including team performance, communications/mobilization activities, and vaccine acceptance, in 3 high-risk states.
Methods: We used structured survey and observation instruments, document review, and stakeholder interviews.
Results: Observations or surveys were conducted at 1697 households. Vaccine acceptance ranged from 87%-94%; among households rejecting polio vaccine, 38% of mothers sought measles vaccine for their children. Teams performed between 4%-42% of assigned tasks.
Conclusions: Acceptance is high but teams have a critical role in surmounting residual vaccine resistance.
Keywords: Nigeria; eradication; evaluation; immunization; microplanning; outbreak; polio; social mobilization; structured observation; survey.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.