International Journal of Public Health Research 2015; 3(5): 192-199 Published online June 20, 2015 (http://www.openscienceonline.com/journal/ijphr) Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Beliefs of Parents/Care givers About Polio Immunization Ahmad I. M. 1, * , Yunusa I. 1 , Wudil A. M. 2 , Gidado Z. M. 3 , Sharif A. A. 4 , Kabara H. T. 2 1 Department of Biochemistry, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano, Nigeria 2 Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria 3 Department of Science Laboratory Technology, School of Technology, Kano State Polytechnic, Nigeria 4 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Science, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria Email address ahmadsyahd@gmail.com (Ahmad I. M.) To cite this article Ahmad I. M., Yunusa I., Wudil A. M., Gidado Z. M., Sharif A. A., Kabara H. T.. Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Beliefs of Parents/Care givers About Polio Immunization. International Journal of Public Health Research. Vol. 3, No. 5, 2015, pp. 192-199. Abstract Cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in Gaya Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano state, in order to assess the knowledge, attitude, perception and belief towards polio immunization among parents/caregivers, and use this information to influence planning for rapid interruption of transmission of WPV in the LGA. While all adults from 6 selected settlements of the 10 wards of the LGA were considered for qualitative assessment, using Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) only mothers and fathers or care givers, in households with children less than five years of age were considered for quantitative assessment using World Health Organization (WHO)-Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) techniques used to determine polio immunisation coverage, after Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs) round in Nigeria, but with increase in the number of households sampled. The results of the study show very high level (95%) of awareness of the existence of polio vaccines and immunization exercise, despite the fact that there is gap in the belief about the protectiveness of the vaccine against poliomyelitis, as only 66% of the respondents believe that the vaccine protect against poliomyelitis. The knowledge about the protective doses of OPV is only 37% and about 51% believe that administering more than 4 doses leads to adverse effect. However, the noncompliance level stands at 20%, in which ‘no care givers consent’ accounts for 31%. However, it is recommended that social mobilization activities should be intensified in the communities and unmet needs of the communities should be accorded a priority. Keywords Polio, Immunization, Caregivers, Knowledge, Perception, Gaya 1. Introduction In 1974 the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and in 1988, the World Health Assembly and its members committed to the goal of eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000 (Banerjee et al, 2000). Since then, Successful polio eradication efforts continue to move the world closer to eradicate on and certification as free of wild poliovirus. The successes may not be as expected in some countries, as with the growing face of financial and political investments, polio remains endemic in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and has been repeatedly exported to other previously polio-free countries—leading the 65th World Health Assembly to declare polio eradication a “programmatic emergency for global public health” in 2012 (World Health Assembly, 2012). Pakistan and Nigeria represent the gravest risk to global eradication. The challenge of global eradication is most greatly focused in specific parts of these two countries (IMB 2012). From its previously strong performance that attracted considerable praise, Nigeria has slipped back in a quite alarming way (IMB, 2012). Global certification will occur once all 6 World Health Organization (WHO) regions report finding no wild poliovirus under high-quality surveillance for at least 3 years and the Global Certification Commission becomes satisfied that sufficient laboratory containment exists (WHO, 1995; WHO, 2002). Nigeria, being one of the signatory of the resolution is the first African country to conduct house to house immunization