Nigeria Polio Boycott

About Nigeria Polio Boycott

In 2003, political and religious leaders in northern Nigeria called for a boycott of polio vaccination, claiming the vaccine was contaminated with anti fertility agents or HIV. The boycott lasted over a year and caused polio to spread to 20 previously polio free countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The WHO called it the most devastating setback in the history of polio eradication. Many children were paralyzed as a result. The boycott ended in 2004 after intensive engagement with traditional and religious leaders, including an agreement to use vaccine from a manufacturer in Indonesia, a Muslim majority country. Nigeria eventually eliminated wild polio in 2020, the last African country to do so. The case illustrates how misinformation and political manipulation can undermine vaccination programs and the importance of community engagement in eradication efforts.