The Drum Beat 590 - Polio Communication
- STRATEGIES: addressing polio communication challenges.
- Please EXPLORE The CI's new polio theme site!
- Engaging LOCAL LEADERS for Indian polio communication
- CALL FOR PROPOSALS: polio communication research.
- APPLICATION INVITATION: MPH in SBCC.
- ASSESSING polio info quality.
- Please help SUSTAIN The CI.
- Selected polio communication training RESOURCES.
- Where to go for MORE polio communication info.
This issue of The Drum Beat introduces you to The CI's newly designed Polio theme site, and highlights just a few of the new features and fresh summaries that have been added. Check out the new theme site.
Please do us the favour of contributing more programme experiences, resources and materials, strategic thinking documents, evaluations, and so on to this ever-growing site by contacting Chris Morry cmorry@comminit.com
1. Addressing the Vaccine Confidence Gap
Published in the Lancet in June 2011, this paper discusses some of the characteristics of the changing global environment that are contributing to increased public questioning of vaccines, such as new media and horizontal communication. Amongst the communication-centred recommendations offered here in going forward: A thorough understanding is needed of the population's - or subpopulation's - specific vaccine concerns, historical experiences, religious or political affiliation, and socioeconomic status; and it is important to engage with and listen to stakeholders - being transparent about decision-making, and being honest and open about uncertainty and risks.
2. Polio Immunization Campaign Aims to Reach Millions in Democratic Republic of the Congo
This May 2011 article on the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) website describes a national immunisation campaign against polio which aims to vaccinate 23 million children. As described in the article, prior to the official launch, educators went door to door to spread the message but they often encounter resistance. For instance, "some people believe this campaign is meant for something else, but not to protect from polio." Two communication strategies described here that are being used to combat such concerns are the participation of prominent personnel and partnership. For instance, Governor Rohuya received his polio drops in public.
3. Strategies for Addressing Rumours and Building Community Acceptance for Immunization: NWFP/FATA
Prepared for a September 17-19 2007 UNICEF-hosted Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting dedicated to examining polio communication efforts in Pakistan, this PowerPoint presentation explores strategies for addressing rumours and building community acceptance for immunisation in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP)/Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Initial slides detail vaccination refusals in FATA and the ways in which they were dealt with, such as: jirgas (a tribal assembly of elders); seminars for religious leaders; inauguration ceremonies with high-profile guests (with press coverage of, and a CD containing a speech from, the ceremonies); local, provincial, and national fatwas.
Please visit The CI's recently updated Polio theme site!
Visit our easier-to-use Polio theme site, where communication and media are central to the eradication of polio. It now provides access to more features and information, including:
GUIDES AND MANUALS
Includes summaries of items that provide a "how-to" for field practitioners as well as those conducting advocacy around polio communication.
EXPERIENCES
Includes descriptions of polio communication projects or initiatives.
ENDEMIC COUNTRIES
Includes summaries of projects, evaluations, strategic thinking, and resources specific to the 4 polio-endemic countries (Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan).
PUBLICATIONS
Includes various newsletters on polio communication produced by different countries.
RESEARCH AND STRATEGY
Includes summaries of papers and other research, strategy, and evaluation documents focused on polio communication.
COMMUNICATION REVIEWS
Includes all documents from recent Polio Technical Advisory Group (TAG) communication review meetings.
Please visit the Polio theme site and enhance it by sending your communication for development information to Chris Morry cmorry@comminit.com
INDIA FOCUS: ENGAGING LOCAL LEADERS
4. Traditional Healers Become Influencers in Bareilly
From this July 2010 UNICEF India article: Traditional healers can play an important role in influencing community health decisions, including those on immunisation. Using a participatory approach, state officials oriented and sensitised the healers and influencers to the importance of strengthening routine immunisation and timely reporting of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance while also clarifying questions on the safety of the polio vaccine during sickness and as a preventive measure against the disease. A film on routine immunisation was shown and discussed, stressing on the role of healers in mobilising the community. Leaflets with answers to frequently asked questions were also distributed.
5. India Communication Update (ICU), May 2011
The focus of this update, produced monthly by UNICEF India, is the concerted efforts being made since the Government of India charged the polio eradication programme with responding to every single case of polio as a national public health emergency. The reader learns that "Pockets of resistance to polio immunization are being tackled with focused IPC [interpersonal communication], with a dramatic upscale in posters and other materials, media workshops, radio advertisements, and the use of the local theatre group Banglanatak.com, which conducted more than 300 shows in March, drawing more than 40,000 viewers. Local imams have been engaged to support the polio eradication effort, launching the polio booths in high-risk areas and making announcements from mosque loudspeakers asking the community to support the campaigns."
6. Polio Eradication Efforts Strengthened during Religious Occasions
"Polio Advocacy week was held in Patna, Bihar, India, from February 27 - March 4, 2010 during hafta-e-rehmat (The Blessing Week) to overcome resistance towards repeated rounds of polio immunisation and other communication issues surrounding Polio Eradication in the district." In India, the hafta-e-rehmat is marked by a large number of processions with more than 40 religious institutions organising special prayers, sermons, and discourses and as many as 75,000 people in attendance. "One such procession organized by the Anjuman-e- Mohammadia Committee headed by Maulana Syed Sanaullah included Polio Advocacy in its agenda, making strong appeals to the community to participate in the polio programme and pray that this virus be wiped out from the country....Posters and banners endorsed by Maulana Sanaullah and auto rickshaws decorated with polio banners accompanied the procession through the high risk areas..."
7. Hajji's Join Social Mobilization Effort for Polio: SMNet Targets Pilgrims in Critical Polio-endemic Areas of Bihar and U.P.
This article explores the intensification of strategic communication among Hajj travellers in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) and Bihar in the fourth quarter of 2008. In what the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) identifies as the very first time, pilgrims applying for Haj in 2008 were asked to submit polio immunisation certificates. "Polio partners seized the opportunity and utilized the Hajj application process - which lasted almost one full year - to advocate for polio eradication." For instance, approximately 20,000 appeals endorsed by local and national religious institutions, 123 banners, and 600 booklets were distributed to sensitise pilgrims about the importance of polio eradication. Over 50,000 Hajj travellers were exposed to these polio messages. Interpersonal strategies also figured prominently.
Call for Proposals: The Polio Research Committee
The Polio Research Committee (PRC) is currently soliciting research proposals to support the implementation and evaluation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Strategic Plan 2010-2012, with particular focus on 5 topics - one of which is communication research (e.g., evaluation of different communication interventions to promote knowledge, behaviour change, and improve acceptance). For information about all 5 of the topics, please click here.
For the standard research proposal form, click here.
Researchers are invited to submit proposals by July 31 2011 to the Research and Product Development team, GPEI, World Health Organization (WHO) Geneva, by email to polioresearch@who.int
Invitation to Apply: Wits University Master of Public Health (MPH) in Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)
South Africa's University of Witwatersrand invites students around the world to apply for the SBCC MPH programme, which is designed to build capacity to develop and implement SBCC in Africa by preparing graduates to apply social and behavioural theory, programme planning, and evidence-based approaches that include social mobilisation, advocacy, social marketing, edutainment, content development for health communication programmes, and monitoring and evaluation.
For more information, visit the Wits University website or contact Ms. Ntokozo Dube ntokozo.dube@wits.ac.za
Application deadline: July 31 2011
ASSESSING POLIO INFO QUALITY: PHONES AND OTHER TOOLS
8. Use of Mobile Phones to Help Assess Quality of Polio Campaigns
From the Polio Pipeline, No.7 Winter 2011: "The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is actively evaluating ways to utilize mobile phone technology to collect and analyze data on immunization activities." The data collection application EpiSurveyor, an open software tool, is designed for low-specification mobile phones. "The use of EpiSurveyor and mobile phones thus enabled managers to make real-time evidence-based decisions, thereby improving the efficacy of the [polio] campaign."
9. Children Map their Community Using Innovative Technology in India
This April 2011 description of a children's community mapping project from Kolkata, India, exemplifies UNICEF involvement in community participatory mapping. UNICEF and local non-governmental organisation (NGO) Prayasam are working with community members to create a hand-drawn map of their community. They will also upload much of the information onto Google Earth online. The project - called Awaz or "Voice" - has children initiating change in a community. "At first, the children were trained to use traditional mapping tools. Later they learnt how to use ... mobile phone technology developed by Matt Berg at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. With Berg's system in Kolkata, the children were able to conduct a household survey. Going door to door, they tabulated such details as the number of residents, their ages, occupations and health issues..."
10. Progress on Polio Communication in Polio Endemic and Re-Established Countries: Report on Global Polio Communication Indicators
The GPEI partners formulated a set of common communication indicators designed to track progress against the GPEI Strategic Plan, 2010 - 2012. "The ability of a country programme to collect and report on standard communications data is key to transparent and effective operations, and to providing stakeholders with opportunity to make further inquiries into the challenges, gaps and suggested strategies in each of the country programmes." For example, indicator #6 is: Source of information from those caregivers who report having heard any campaign message.
11. Polio Pipeline
This quarterly update of ongoing research in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) aims to keep partners and the scientific community informed about what is happening in the increasingly complex research pipeline for the GPEI. Many of the articles featured in Polio Pipeline are communication-related. For example, one piece in the Winter 2011 issue explores how the GPEI is actively evaluating ways to utilise mobile phone technology to collect and analyse data on immunisation activities so as to assess quality of polio campaigns in key areas.
Become a Communication Initiative Partner
The CI Partners (a) collectively provide the strategic guidance and direction for The Communication Initiative - ensuring that it meets the overall development priorities and needs of the communication and media community and (b) provide significant resources to support this overall initiative.
Please contact Warren Feek wfeek@comminit.com if your organisation is considering providing this significant level of support to The CI.
SELECTED POLIO COMMUNICATION TRAINING RESOURCES
12. Supplementary Immunization Activities in a Polio Outbreak: Training Manual for National/Regional Supervisors and Monitors
This December 2008 manual includes training materials for supervisors/monitors of supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs) in a polio outbreak. Exercises can be found throughout, with boxes including instructions, such as "Trainer's instruction: Discuss in a simple way the problem of the reappearance of polio in the country".
13. Microplanning for Immunization Service Delivery Using the Reaching Every District (RED) Strategy
Published in October 2009, this World Health Organisation (WHO)/United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) planning guide intends to make the "Reaching Every District" (RED) approach for improving routine immunisation coverage more easily available. It outlines a set of steps for healthcare workers, such as: identifying special activities for the hard-to-reach and problem areas.
14. Guidelines for Training Community Surveillance Coordinators
Prepared by the CHANGE Project, these February 2002 guidelines are meant to be a resource for countries to improve detection, reporting, and follow-up of cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) - an achievement required for countries, regions, and the entire world to be declared polio-free. The guidelines are based on principles of adult education. The suggested training of Coordinators is divided into 7 session plans, each representing one complex of skills, knowledge, and attitudes.
15. Immunization in Practice: Module 8: Building Community Support for Immunization
Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2001, this module describes the process of how to gain community support for immunisation and how to make the service responsive to community needs. The module details how to:
- hold meetings with the community to build support for immunisation services;
- plan suitable immunisation sessions - "You must involve the community to plan when and where to hold immunization sessions and who can help";
- mobilise the community using suitable methods and messages - "The best idea is to use a mix of methods so that you can reach the widest range of people"; and
- deal with rumours and misinformation.
See also these and other past issues of The Drum Beat focused on polio communication:
The Drum Beat 562 - Polio Communication
The Drum Beat 421 - Communication for Polio Eradication
The Drum Beat 373 - Strategic Thinking on Polio Communication
This issue of The Drum Beat was written by Kier Olsen DeVries.
The Editor of The Drum Beat is Kier Olsen DeVries.
Please send additional project, evaluation, strategic thinking, and materials information on communication for development at any time. Send to drumbeat@comminit.com
The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.
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