Nomadic Route Identification and Polio Vaccination Activities for Unreached Mobile Population in Barno State, Northeast Nigeria

Eradication of the poliovirus hinges on successful last-mile vaccination of children under five years. A segment of the population missed out can result in Wild Polio Virus (WPV) transmission to other locations. In Borno in Nigeria, the insurgency has led to mass displacement. Apart from the migrating populace, there are the nomadic settlers who are culturally mobile. The prevailing insecurity makes tracking of these nomads harder, as they change their routes to avoid contact with the insurgents or to fall victim to the rustling of their herds. Thus, it becomes difficult to administer the required doses to the nomadic children, which is imperative for sustained immunity in their community. To address these challenges, a concerted effort was made to understand the current movement patterns by mapping their existing routes. This was done in collaboration with all the key stakeholders, most importantly, the community and nomadic group leaders. The route mapping exercise has aided in the planning and monitoring of polio vaccination activities targeted at the nomadic populace. It is hoped that with innovative strategies to reach and vaccinate the nomads, the transmission of WPV across communities will be significantly diminished.