Having identified husbands as contributing factors to zero-dose children in rural communities, where wives must get approval before seeking medical care for children, fathers have formed Fathers for Good Health (FFGH) to promote good health.

Across seven local government areas of Bauchi State, fathers have formed groups in every ward, moving from door to door to preach routine immunisation and other integrated healthcare services.

In commemoration of this year’s Father’s Day, FFGH were seen in Misau Local Government, scouting for children with incomplete immunisation and zero-dose children. This action, they said, was to assist the women who often spend hours attending to domestic chores.

Balarabe Musa, a 45-year-old polio survivor and lecturer, joined the crusade of promoting routine immunisation across communities in Misau. He attributed non-compliance with vaccines to ignorance and the negative influence of fathers.

“I have decided to join this Father for Good Health to talk to our people about the importance of embracing immunisation, particularly the polio vaccine. I thank God that I was privileged to get adequate care, but many did not and are on the streets begging.

“If I see any household resisting vaccines, I feel bad and take my time to convince them, and I give my condition as an example; in that case, many of them become enlightened and accept it,” he said.

Last year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) established a group in every ward of seven local councils to educate sceptical fathers about vaccines and other routine immunisations.

According to a Social Behaviour Change Specialist with the Bauchi Field Office of UNICEF, George Eki, there has been a sharp reduction in zero-dose children in Bauchi State, as fathers have become involved in the campaign.

The men’s structure is currently divided into 113 wards, each overseen by seven councils. At least, each ward has ten FFGH, totalling 9,252. The group, according to UNICEF data, has mobilised 109,444 children for routine immunisation antigens.

Nura Aliyu, one of the FFGH volunteers in Misau, said, “We have realised that the bulk of the decisions rest with the fathers in terms of vaccines and immunisation. Once the husband gives permission, the wife obeys. What we do is meet those who are sceptical about this and enlighten them about the danger of not preventing their children from sickness.

“In the last few months since we started last year, we have reached those families across the communities and Alhamdullilah, they have been convinced, and most of them are now advocates of good health.”

Another volunteer, Ibrahim Sadiq, expressed joy at how fathers who had previously opposed routine immunisation now promote good health.

FFGH structure in the community is a complementary group to the existing Mama2Mama group of women, which also ensures good health among women.

However, the Chairman of Misau Local Government, Hon. Salisu Hussaini Hardawa, having identified the challenges of the fathers who promote good health at the grassroots, pledged to procure motorcycles for the groups across the 16 wards of the council.