2 October 2008 -- At 10.30pm, Friday May 9, 2008, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi Nahuche, Chairman, Bungudu Local Government Area (LGA), handed N400,000 cash to the Director, Primary Health Care (DPHC), Mohammed Rabiu Bungudu, to support activities for the Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) starting the following morning in his home state of Zamfara. He was delivering on his promised support earlier in the day after having to source the cash from the community, as a last resort. That amount was only surpassed by the LGA contribution when it piloted the IPDs nationally in 2006.

In April 2008 - a month after assuming office - Nahuche, 42, took on the task of engaging non-compliant communities after giving N340,000 to support that round in line with his resolution to “give attention to health.” He had been told during an advocacy visit by the LGA EPI Team that there was block rejection of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) by some communities, based on complaints of non-provision of basic services like water by government.

The turnout in Madidi on April 5, and Tabanne and Gidan Angulu on May 13 was impressive and the chairman in response to requests through their spokespersons, promised to provide hand pump wells and other needs the LGA could afford. The effect of the promises was immediate. At Madidi and environ, 104 children were vaccinated immediately after the dialogue. Twenty-seven children in Tabanne and 63 in Gidan Angulu also received OPV. By May, the chairman had delivered the equipment for the hand pump he promised the Madidi community!

Nahuche is continuing with a tradition which has distinguished Bungudu as the most consistent LGA in supporting immunization activities in the state. Individuals like the Sarkin Yamma of Bungudu, Alhaji Abdullahi Usman Kure, the District Head of Nahuche (Kekun Nahuche), Alhaji Mani Balarabe Nahuche, and Dr Mohammed Marafa of WHO are identified as having privately supported implementation activities financially. In the roll of honour are former LGA Sole Administrator, Tajudeen Zainu Bungudu and former chairman, Tukur Ibrahim Nahuche. Even team supervisors and ward focal persons were part of the private efforts in June 2007 which yielded N85,000 support for that round.

However, with nine children paralysed in the LGA by September 19, 2008, there are concerns that the support of the LGA and some stakeholders is yet to translate to the interruption of transmission of the virus. There have been cases of concealment of non-compliance and some vaccinators have not been faithful in vaccinating children during rounds. With the scope of this problem now more obvious, community leaders like Kekun Nahuche have taken up the challenge by funding additional members of teams (including members of his family) in his domain since April 2008, to ensure that vaccination indeed takes place, while elderly Alhaji Abubakar Siddique, District Head of Bungudu, personally supervises the resolution of cases of reported non-compliance.

Bungudu LGA therefore shows that political commitment and financial support are critical but need to be complemented. Stakeholders, communities, vaccination teams and partners have to plan and work together to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated; and that funds are utilized for data-driven activities.

- By Nosa Owens-Ibie