Leveraging trust, faith and proximity: the role of traditional healers, community leaders and community health workers in expanding viral hepatitis elimination and advancing vaccination uptake in Nigeria
1
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
2
Department of Political Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
3
Department of Global Health, University of Global health Equity, Butaro, Rwanda
4
Department of Public Administration, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
5
Department of Psychology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
6
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Research Unit, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1587
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Nigeria bears a significant burden of viral hepatitis B and C, yet elimination efforts remain hampered by low vaccination uptake, inadequate community engagement, and deep-rooted cultural beliefs i,ii. Traditional healers, religious leaders, community leaders, and community health workers (CHWs) are often the first point of contact for health-related advice in many Nigerian communities. Despite this, their potential role in hepatitis prevention and elimination remains underutilized and poorly documentedii. This narrative review aims to synthesise existing evidence and grey literature on the contributions of traditional healers, religious/community leaders, and CHWs in promoting hepatitis awareness, prevention, and vaccination in Nigeria.
METHODS:
A narrative review methodology was employed, drawing on peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, programme reports, and grey literature published between 2010 and 2025. Sources were identified using electronic databases (e.g., PubMed, AJOL, Scopus), NGO websites, and government health portals. The review focused on studies, interventions, and reports involving non-biomedical community actors in hepatitis awareness, vaccine delivery, or stigma reduction in Nigeria.
RESULTS:
Findings indicate that traditional healers and community leaders play a pivotal role in shaping health perceptions and can serve as allies in demystifying hepatitis, dispelling stigma, and correcting misconceptions about vaccination. In several interventions, trained CHWs and religious leaders facilitated referrals, mobilised for community-based screening and vaccination campaigns, and acted as champions of hepatitis B birth-dose promotion. Challenges included a lack of standardised training, the absence of formal integration with national hepatitis strategies, and occasional resistance from biomedical practitioners.
CONCLUSIONS:
Traditional and community-based actors represent an untapped resource for accelerating hepatitis elimination in Nigeria. Integrating them into national and sub-national strategies through capacity building, supportive supervision, and community-driven models can improve vaccination uptake and foster sustainable demand creation. Collaborative approaches rooted in cultural competence and respect for local hierarchies are essential for meaningful engagement and trust-building.
Nigeria bears a significant burden of viral hepatitis B and C, yet elimination efforts remain hampered by low vaccination uptake, inadequate community engagement, and deep-rooted cultural beliefs i,ii. Traditional healers, religious leaders, community leaders, and community health workers (CHWs) are often the first point of contact for health-related advice in many Nigerian communities. Despite this, their potential role in hepatitis prevention and elimination remains underutilized and poorly documentedii. This narrative review aims to synthesise existing evidence and grey literature on the contributions of traditional healers, religious/community leaders, and CHWs in promoting hepatitis awareness, prevention, and vaccination in Nigeria.
METHODS:
A narrative review methodology was employed, drawing on peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, programme reports, and grey literature published between 2010 and 2025. Sources were identified using electronic databases (e.g., PubMed, AJOL, Scopus), NGO websites, and government health portals. The review focused on studies, interventions, and reports involving non-biomedical community actors in hepatitis awareness, vaccine delivery, or stigma reduction in Nigeria.
RESULTS:
Findings indicate that traditional healers and community leaders play a pivotal role in shaping health perceptions and can serve as allies in demystifying hepatitis, dispelling stigma, and correcting misconceptions about vaccination. In several interventions, trained CHWs and religious leaders facilitated referrals, mobilised for community-based screening and vaccination campaigns, and acted as champions of hepatitis B birth-dose promotion. Challenges included a lack of standardised training, the absence of formal integration with national hepatitis strategies, and occasional resistance from biomedical practitioners.
CONCLUSIONS:
Traditional and community-based actors represent an untapped resource for accelerating hepatitis elimination in Nigeria. Integrating them into national and sub-national strategies through capacity building, supportive supervision, and community-driven models can improve vaccination uptake and foster sustainable demand creation. Collaborative approaches rooted in cultural competence and respect for local hierarchies are essential for meaningful engagement and trust-building.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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