The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Wild Polio Back in Nigeria

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It is hard to under estimate how disappointing the news of circulating wild polio virus in northern Nigeria has been.  This is not to say many weren't concerned that this may be the case but it is to say that everyone hoped it wasn't.  The areas in Borno where the virus has been circulating since at least 2011 are tough ones to access in the best of times but with Boko Haram creating severe security issues and so many people displaced from their homes, getting on top of this outbreak is not going to be easy.  And that's only considering Nigeria.  Populations are moving across borders and the surrounding countries in the Lake Chad Basin have been equally disrupted by violence, internally displaced populations, refugees and very large long term environmental changes.

The polio virus thrives and eradication work is hardest in exactly this type of context.  The world is already responding and the GPEI has clear guidelines for responding to outbreaks and SOPs to guide and help coordinate the work of partners, government and donors with specific documents covering communication (see https://www.comminit.com/polio/content/communication-development-guidel…)  Mass immunisation campaigns have begun and strategies for reaching missed children and strengthening surveillance are being developed.  We can take some hope in the history of the programme having successfully stopped transmission in other equally challenging circumstances.  But what about the long term of polio eradication?  Having set the Nigeria clock back to zero we need to go at least 3 years without any cases and we need to fix the surveillance system so that we can be certain there aren’t other pockets of circulation.  To do this immunity levels and surveillance quality must be raised and sustained in northern Nigeria and all its close neighbours.

What do you think we need to be our priorities to make sure we build and sustain the ability to reach every child and detect every case in this volatile part of the world?  Not just in Nigeria but in the surrounding countries?