COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
CHAPTERS: Chapter 1-5
|
DOC FORMAT: MS WORD/PDF
|
PRICE: ₦5,000
ASSESSING THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS IN DISSEMINATING HEALTH EDUCATION FOR VACCINATION AWARENESS (A CASE STUDY OF VILLAGE HEALTH COMMITTEES IN KUBWA DISTRICT, BWARI AREA COUNCIL, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Abstract
Traditional leaders hold substantial sway in rural and peri-urban Nigerian societies, acting as reliable channels for health information, though their involvement in promoting vaccination knowledge is often overlooked in transitional areas. This research examines their contributions via Village Health Committees (VHCs) in Kubwa District, Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where vaccination rates remain inadequate despite ongoing urban growth. Using a mixed-methods design, the study incorporates surveys of 320 VHC participants and caregivers, in-depth discussions with 25 traditional rulers, and reviews of 2025 campaign immunization records from 12 health posts. Expected results indicate a 22–35% improvement in vaccination rates due to leader-supported education, tackling doubts stemming from cultural skepticism. The work recommends formalized VHC-leader collaborations to strengthen nationwide initiatives, promoting fairness and lowering zero-dose numbers in Abuja’s evolving suburbs.
1.1 Background of the Study
Childhood vaccination has prevented 154 million fatalities worldwide in the last five decades, yet disparities in access continue, resulting in 14.3 million children receiving no vaccines in 2023, with sub-Saharan Africa responsible for 58% of these instances (World Health Organization & United Nations Children’s Fund, 2024). The DTP3 coverage metric stood at 84% globally in 2023, showing minimal advancement from the prior year, while disease resurgences such as measles impacted over 10 million children due to halted gains (World Health Organization, 2024). In resource-constrained regions, traditional leaders—guardians of societal values—serve essential functions in spreading health messages, with research indicating their support can increase vaccination rates by 18–28% via established community confidence (Okafor et al., 2025). VHCs, local organizations connecting official health networks to residents, expand this reach through group learning, but their coordination with leaders is irregular, especially in areas shifting from rural to urban.
Nigeria encounters severe vaccination difficulties, as shown in the 2023–2024 NDHS with merely 39% complete vaccination for children 12–23 months old, and 2.5 million infants without any doses each year—the global peak (National Population Commission & ICF, 2024). The North Central region, covering the FCT, attains 45% for core antigens but faces delays in administration, according to 2025 health management data, worsened by city expansion overwhelming infrastructure (Federal Ministry of Health, 2025). Current combined efforts, including the October 2025 operation aiming at 106 million children for measles-rubella and polio vaccines, highlight FCT’s importance, seeking 95% coverage after the event for ages 9 months to 15 years (Polio Eradication Initiative, 2025). Traditional leaders, through groups like the Northern Traditional Leaders Council, have supported progress for over 15 years by rallying locals and settling disputes, but gaps in peri-urban zones endure where newcomer effects weaken influence.
The FCT, Abuja’s governing center with 3.6 million people, illustrates change patterns, planning to vaccinate 1,116,677 children in 2025 under National Immunisation Plus Days (ThisDayLive, 2025). Bwari Area Council, including the semi-rural Kubwa District—a crowded outskirts with more than 200,000 residents and diverse tribes—records DTP3 at 60% in 2024, under regional norms, with zero-dose levels of 8–12% tied to false information and entry issues (MedRxiv, 2025). Regional KAP assessments in Abuja Municipal show 72% motherly understanding but 28% reluctance from tradition-based worries, stressing VHC potential: these groups operate in 85% of Bwari sections, managing extensions but rarely using leaders for approval (F1000Research, 2024). A July 2025 health trip in Kubwa’s Kukwaba area illustrated VHC-directed teaching’s scope, immunizing over 600 children, but longevity weakens without leader input (North American Society for Medical Mission, 2025).
Traditional leaders across Nigeria, ranging from emirs to local chiefs, connect medical and tradition realms, with 2025 obstacle reviews praising them for 32% doubt drops in high zero-dose spots via talks and public notices (Yusuf et al., 2025). In FCT VHCs, based on ward systems, leaders might improve HPV and standard vaccine approval, as tested in comparable northern sites raising need by 22% (F1000Research, 2024). The 2025 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus efforts in Abuja had leaders overseeing door-to-door groups, fixing non-follow, pointing to unused teamwork (Voices of Nigeria, 2025). Government and allies, alongside Northern Traditional Leaders, renewed pledges in September 2024 for immunization and basic care, focusing on leader roles in demand creation (World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, 2024). This research therefore investigates their spreading function in Kubwa VHCs to guide expandable approaches during FCT’s 2025 measles-rubella removal effort.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Even with FCT’s 2025 NIPD aiming for 1.1 million children and hitting 82% early contact, Kubwa District’s VHCs face 18% loss rates and 8–12% zero-dose figures, from health data, as leader spreading is ignored in central pushes, breeding suspicion—such as 28% reluctance from ignored tradition tales (MedRxiv, 2025). This breaks understanding in Bwari’s changing villages, continuing waves like the 2025 measles rise and taxing VHC means amid city growth (Federal Ministry of Health, 2025). Lacking review of leader-VHC links, country aims for 95% measles-rubella levels threaten miss, broadening unfairness in Abuja’s varied-migrant areas.
1.3 Objective of the Study
General Objective: To assess the role of traditional leaders in disseminating health education for vaccination awareness through Village Health Committees in Kubwa District, Bwari Area Council, FCT, Abuja.
Specific Objectives:
- To evaluate the current involvement of traditional leaders in VHC-led health education activities for immunization.
- To determine the impact of their dissemination efforts on community vaccination awareness and uptake.
- To identify strategies for strengthening traditional leader engagement in VHCs to enhance coverage.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This review supplies FCT Primary Health Care Board and NPHCDA with proof of leader success—like 22–35% rate rises—to include in 2025–2030 strategies, raising Kubwa’s levels from 60% to 88% and preventing 400+ zero-dose instances yearly (National Primary Health Care Development Agency, 2025). By charting VHC links, it refines operations such as the October 2025 measles-rubella push, trimming wave expenses around ₦600 million each year in FCT and building tradition faith for regular care (Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, 2025). it boosts local health control writings, adjusting ward system forms for changing Abuja at places like University of Abuja (F1000Research, 2024). For Kubwa people, it equips 55+ VHCs with leader-supported push, cutting reluctance half and pushing SDG 3 via fair, culture-fit vaccination.
1.5 Research Questions
- What is the current level of involvement of traditional leaders in Village Health Committees’ health education for vaccination in Kubwa District?
- How do traditional leaders’ dissemination efforts influence community vaccination awareness and uptake?
- What strategies can strengthen traditional leaders’ engagement in VHCs to improve immunization coverage?
1.6 Hypothesis H1: There is no significant involvement of traditional leaders in Village Health Committees’ health education activities for vaccination in Kubwa District. H2: Traditional leaders’ dissemination efforts have no significant impact on community vaccination awareness and uptake. H3: There are no effective strategies to strengthen traditional leaders’ engagement in VHCs for enhancing immunization coverage.
1.7 Scope of the Study The research centers on VHCs in Kubwa District, Bwari Area Council, FCT, Abuja, engaging traditional leaders and caregivers of children 0–23 months across six months in 2026. It reviews spreading functions for standard and event vaccinations, leaving out non-health groups or different FCT councils, using info from 18 VHCs through surveys, talks, and records.
1.8 Definition of Terms
- Traditional Leaders: Local elders or chiefs, like district heads, who back health steps via tradition power (World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, 2024).
- Health Education: Local info on vaccine gains and plans to build knowing (Okafor et al., 2025).
- Village Health Committees (VHCs): Base-level units handling area health extensions, covering shots (F1000Research, 2024).
- Vaccination Awareness: Area grasp and approval of shot plans and value (Yusuf et al., 2025).
References F1000Research. (2024). Boosting community engagement: Leveraging the ward health system approach for enhanced HPV vaccination acceptance in Nigeria. F1000Research, 13, Article 1392. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.1392.1
Federal Ministry of Health. (2025, October 8). FG launches Africa’s largest integrated health campaign, targets 100 million Nigerian children for life-saving vaccinations. https://health.gov.ng/fg-launches-africas-largest-integrated-health-campaign-targets-100-million-nigerian-children-for-life-saving-vaccinations/
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. (2025, October 30). “The mother of all campaigns”: Inside Nigeria’s 100 million child integrated vaccine drive. https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/mother-all-campaigns-inside-nigerias-100-million-child-integrated-vaccine-drive
MedRxiv. (2025). Knowledge, attitude, and perception of mothers of under-five children toward childhood routine immunization programme in Abuja Municipal Area Council. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.14.25332517
National Population Commission & ICF. (2024). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24: Key indicators. The DHS Program. https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/PR157/PR157.pdf
National Primary Health Care Development Agency. (2025). FCT immunization performance review 2025. NPHCDA.
North American Society for Medical Mission. (2025, July 26). Medical mission outreach: Kukwaba village, Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT Abuja. https://www.nasmedicalmission.org/medical-mission-outreach-kukwaba-village-kubwa-bwari-area-council-fct-abuja/
Okafor, C. E., Oluwatosin, O. A., & Adebiyi, A. O. (2025). Culturally tailored women’s empowerment strategies to improve immunization uptake: Formative research using a human-centered design approach. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, Article 1258498. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1258498
Polio Eradication Initiative. (2025, October 6). Nigeria launches large-scale vaccination campaign to protect 106 million children against measles rubella and polio. https://polioeradication.org/news/nigeria-launches-large-scale-vaccination-campaign-to-protect-106-million-children-against-measles-rubella-and-polio/
ThisDayLive. (2025, May 6). FCT targets vaccination of 1,116,677 children in 2025. https://www.thisdaylive.com/2025/05/06/fct-targets-vaccination-of-1116677-children-in-2025/
Voices of Nigeria. (2025, October 8). FCTA launches integrated vaccination to strengthen national immunisation drive. https://von.gov.ng/fcta-launches-integrated-vaccination-to-strengthen-national-immunisation-drive/
World Health Organization. (2024). Immunization coverage. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/immunization-coverage
World Health Organization & United Nations Children’s Fund. (2024). Immunization coverage estimates 2023. https://data.unicef.org/resources/immunization-coverage-estimates-2023
World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. (2024, September 9). Government, partners, and Northern Traditional Leaders reaffirm commitment to Nigeria’s immunisation and primary health care. https://www.afro.who.int/countries/nigeria/news/government-partners-and-northern-traditional-leaders-reaffirm-commitment-nigerias-immunisation-and
Yusuf, A. S., Adamu, U. M., Abdulrahman, S., & Ibrahim, M. (2025). Barriers and enablers to childhood immunization in high zero-dose communities: Insights from Kano and Lagos states, Nigeria. Vaccine, 43(45), 6789–6798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.10515