By: Sama Sarki Moussa
Read the French version here | Lisez la version française ici
My name is Sama Sarki Moussa. I am a Community Health Worker and student based in Niamey, Niger at the Nouveau Marché Health Centre. I hold a high school diploma and a certificate in community mobilization and community health, with specialized training in nutrition and immunization. I work to strengthen access to primary healthcare and improve vaccination coverage in the urban and peri-urban neighborhoods of Commune 3 in Niamey. I am responsible for immunization activities and supportive supervision at the Nouveau Marché Health Centre. I collaborate with community health centers to combat infectious diseases and misinformation, while training and supporting community relay workers in the neighborhood. My commitment is to improve the health of the most vulnerable populations.
My primary role is to support vaccination campaigns, raise awareness among families, and serve as a link between the community and health centers. Every day, I see that vaccines save lives, but not everyone can easily access them or is ready to accept them.
My story is about vaccination campaigns against vaccine-preventable diseases in several neighborhoods of Niamey. It is a story of misinformation, fear, and resistance, but also of dialogue, trust, and collective success. In a context where rumors spread rapidly, the role of the Community Health Worker becomes essential. We are not merely mobilizers; we are mediators between the health system and the population. This story is important because it shows that vaccination does not depend solely on the availability of vaccine doses, but above all on the community’s trust and acceptance.
The Experience: Facing Hesitancy and Misinformation
During a recent vaccination campaign, our team was responsible for mobilizing families to vaccinate their children against several diseases. Once in the field, we quickly observed considerable hesitation among some households.
Some families refused to open their doors. Others claimed that vaccines made children sick or caused infertility. These rumors were circulating on social media and through conversations within the community. In some cases, parents were afraid because they misunderstood potential side effects.
The challenge was not only logistical. Yes, there were limited resources, very few communication materials, difficult travel conditions, and extreme heat. However, the greatest obstacle was mistrust.
I remember one mother who categorically refused to have her child vaccinated. She said she had heard that vaccines made children sick. She spoke with both concern and conviction. That moment reminded me that behind every refusal there is often a genuine fear.
We understood that it was important to take time to listen to families rather than try to force them to accept vaccination. I therefore chose to get closer to them and use dialogue to better understand their concerns.
Instead of relying on general awareness messages, I began organizing discussions in small groups, sometimes in front of people’s homes and sometimes with community leaders. I took the time to explain how vaccines work, why they are important, and what normal side effects people might expect.
I also worked closely with the community health center serving the area. The nurses supported us by providing clear technical explanations, and we referred hesitant parents to them so they could ask their questions directly.
The support of neighborhood leaders and certain religious leaders proved decisive. When they publicly encouraged vaccination, many families felt reassured.
As both a Community Health Worker and a community relay worker, (in Niger, community relays are part-time and voluntary, working directly in the households and receive activity-based incentives or stipends. CHWs are formal, salaried and full-time operating in health posts), my greatest strength lay in the trust I had already built with the community. I speak their language. I understand their concerns. I live in the same environment. This close connection enabled me to open doors that had initially remained closed.
Gradually, we began to see change. Families who had been hesitant came back to us seeking more information. Some mothers who had initially refused eventually agreed to vaccinate their children after several conversations.
Participation rates in the campaign increased in neighborhoods where dialogue had been strengthened. But beyond the numbers, the greatest impact was the restoration of trust.
This experience taught me that misinformation cannot be overcome through confrontation, but through listening. It also showed me that Community Health Workers play a key role in the fight against infectious diseases. We are often the first point of contact between the health system and the population.
I came to understand that vaccination is not merely a medical act; it is also a social act that depends on credibility and human relationships.
To policymakers and health partners, I would like to say that supporting Community Health Workers also means strengthening disease prevention in our communities.
We need:
- Continuous training to better respond to rumors and emerging forms of misinformation.
- Communication materials that are adapted to local realities.
- Adequate logistical support.
- Clear recognition of our role within the health system.
Vaccination campaigns succeed when communities feel respected and listened to. Community Health Workers are at the heart of that relationship.
I remain hopeful that, in the future, collaboration between health centers and communities will become even stronger. Infectious diseases do not disappear on their own; they are pushed back when prevention becomes a collective effort.
My commitment remains the same: to continue informing, reassuring, and supporting families. Public health begins in neighborhoods, in homes, and in simple conversations.
If we want to sustainably improve vaccination coverage, we must invest in community engagement, training, and trust.
Because, ultimately, vaccinating one child means protecting an entire community.