The Ungwan Kanawa community in Dutsen-Abba ward of Zaria local government area, Kaduna state, is grappling with a measles outbreak that has claimed two lives and left over 20 children infected.
The outbreak has been linked to widespread refusal of vaccine in the community over the past three years.
Blueprint gathered that men in the community had instructed their wives not to allow health workers vaccinate their children in their absence.
During a monitoring exercise to mark African Vaccination Week, the director of Disease Control and Immunization in Kaduna state, Hamza Ibrahim Ikara, said many children in the area remained unvaccinated despite repeated outreach efforts.
In an engagement with men within the community to understand their resistance, Ikara said: “For over two years, we have been coming here. Each time we visit and ask after you men, we are told you are on the farm and that you instructed your wives not to allow us administer vaccines to the children.
“Parents either refused or failed to present their children during past immunization campaigns. Today, we are seeing the consequences.”
Responding, one of the men, Musa Haruna, said the community needed to be sensitised before accepting vaccines. He also claimed that the outreach activities were disrupting their daily routines.
Meanwhile, health officials said emergency vaccination campaigns have been launched, with outreach teams deployed to track and immunise affected households.
UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, Dr Gerida Birukila, described the situation as a “humanitarian emergency,” warning that vaccine shortages were compounding efforts to halt the spread.
She said: “In this community, we have been making strong efforts to create awareness among committee members. They have shared reasons why they have not been taking their children for immunisation or accepting vaccinators when they come.
“In response to this outbreak, I have directed the Local Government Surveillance Officer to strengthen surveillance efforts. We are working to cover all the communities within the Ungwan Kanawa area to ensure no child showing symptoms is missed.
“We have already ordered vaccines from the state to the local government for re-vaccination efforts within the communities.
“We have also conducted sensitisation activities with household heads, which is very important because, even if women bring their children for immunisation, they often cannot proceed without the approval of the men.
“In one household of nine children, two have already died. Others are seriously ill. The community had almost total vaccine rejection in the past, and now they are facing a deadly outbreak,” she said.