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Communication Activities for Immunisation in Guinea

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Presented at: The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Meeting on Communication for Polio Eradication

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Summary

[Please note: the original presentation is in French.]

This PowerPoint presentation was part of a June 2005 joint United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)/World Health Organisation (WHO) meeting dedicated to examining communication in the context of the final global push to eradicate polio. At this meeting, country-specific presentations were made by communication practitioners in 16 of the 21 countries which have experienced cases of wild poliovirus in 2004 and/or in 2005 (to June). The total number of global poliovirus cases increased from 784 cases in 2003 to 1,255 cases in 2004, with 1,004 cases reported to August 9 2005 (548 for the same period in 2005). Communication strategies presented at this meeting were primarily focused on:

  1. Analysing the results of programmes implemented to June 2005, and
  2. Detailing the planned communication programme for the next 6 to 12 month period, designed to support a reversal of the above trend and achievement of the goal of eradicating polio worldwide.


This presentation provides an overview of the epidemiological history, as well as the country-specific communication strategies and challenges within Guinea.

Between 2000 and 2003, Guinea had no confirmed cases of polio; then, in 2004, 7 cases were confirmed which were the result of importation. Prior to June 2005, Guinea had not had a confirmed case of wild polio.

This presentation addressed some factors that influence the polio eradication communication environment in Guinea. Community leaders and health personnel are suffering from burnout as more National Immunisation Days (NIDs) are needed to achieve the eradication goal, very few resources are being mobilised at local levels, local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and associations are not fully involved in NID activities, there are insufficient numbers of communication staff, and there are rumours related to religious beliefs.

The media environment is composed of public, written and audiovisual media. Guinea has a network of 13 rural, regional radio stations that contribute to the sensitisation of the population, and there is a strong presence of traditional media.

Communication objectives were defined in the presentation. Communication strategies such as advocacy, social mobilisation and communication for behaviour change are used to obtain high level political commitment and development partners' support. Special strategies to reach vulnerable groups are utilised.

Some of the threats to the goal of interrupting transmission by December 2005 are:

  • insufficient human resource in communication,
  • absence of decentralised communication structures,
  • absence of communication actions plans integrating routine vaccination and,
  • insufficient resources allocated to communication for polio eradication.

Click here to download the full PowerPoint presentation, in French, as a PDF file.