Analysis of 52 northern Nigerian newspaper reports revealed that the 2003-2004 polio vaccination stoppage was driven by beliefs in Western control, malevolent philanthropy, and vaccine doubts.
Newspaper coverage of the 2003-2004 polio vaccination stoppage in Northern Nigeria highlighted local beliefs of Western control, self-serving philanthropy, and doubts about the vaccine.
Successful global health initiatives are executed on the recognition that globalization involves simultaneous pulls between global unification and fragmentation. This article responds to the need for more understanding of the role of fragmentation in global health initiatives through analyses of 52 northern Nigerian newspaper reports of the 2003-2004 northern Nigerian stoppage of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. By 2009 the stoppage had resulted in an epidemic in Nigeria and polio importations in 20 previously polio-free countries. Findings pointed to beliefs in contemporary forms of Western control and abuse through global organizations (nongovernmental organizations and for-profits), understandings of the "philanthropy" of the West and global organizations as self-serving and malevolent, and doubts about the polio vaccine product.
James Olumide Olufowote (Fri,) conducted a other in Polio vaccination stoppage (n=52). Newspaper coverage of polio vaccination stoppage was evaluated on Themes in newspaper reports. Analysis of 52 northern Nigerian newspaper reports revealed that the 2003-2004 polio vaccination stoppage was driven by beliefs in Western control, malevolent philanthropy, and vaccine doubts.