Polio
Polio eradication action with informed and engaged societies
Polio
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India Communication Update - February 2007

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Summary

This update is produced monthly by UNICEF India in consultation with partners and is circulated by email. Its purpose is to provide stakeholders with a concise update on strategic developments in the communication effort for polio eradication in India, in response to the fast evolving epidemiological situation in the country.

This issue details national and state-level activities surrounding polio communication efforts in India. The following five articles discuss strategic plans to enhance activities in the areas of public perception and participation, media trends and celebrity endorsement, as well as an upcoming independent review conference of communication strategies.

Polio Partners Initiate Research on ‘Add-Ons’ in Western Uttar Pradesh



In response to recommendations of the India Expert Advisory Group (IEAG), rapid research was initiated in February on the possibility of ‘add-ons’ as a possibly strategy in ensuring greater levels of community participation in the polio program. The assessment uses 19 Personal Digital Assistants PDAs to rapidly obtain family reactions to added incentives coupled with immunisation in 13 high-risk areas. This data will form a sample of approximately 1, 700 responses, which will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of ‘add-ons’ as they are administered in the field.




Media Trends and District Plan for Western Uttar Pradesh, February - June 2007



Based on recent quantitative and qualitative studies on reporting trends in polio vaccination, the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has decided to take a district-wise approach to systematically engage with the media. Seven districts have been selected for targeted interventions with the media, through a four-component media plan, in the hopes of decreasing negative coverage and countering rumours that usually emerge prior to immunisation rounds.




Technical Advisory Group on Communication to Meet in March



UNICEF India will be hosting an independent review meeting of the national communication strategy for polio eradication in Delhi, from March 26-29. An external panel of six experts, who possess backgrounds in epidemiology, communication, media and advocacy and social mobilisation, will conduct these reviews. The panel will spend two days on field visits to the high-risk states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, then two days of engaged with state delegations, reviewing monitoring and outcome data from the endemic states. A final set of recommendations will follow, with a focus on assisting countries in gathering, analysing and presenting data on communication objectives and the overall impact of communication activities.




Celebrity Visits in Western Uttar Pradesh as a Lead Up to Polio Rounds



To boost public participation in polio vaccination rounds, UNICEF and Rotary are organising a series of visits by celebrities and public figures to high-risk districts in endemic states. These visits have been proven to drastically decrease the number of resisting families when they have preceded immunisation rounds in these areas. In January, well-known thespian Farooqu Shiekh visited two areas in Meerut. In early February, film-personality Soha Ali Khan and her father, former cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi joined the campaign together as part of a lead-up to the February National Immunisation Day (NID).




IPV Pilot Proposed in India



INCLEN is conducting a new quantitative research study regarding understand public perceptions towards vaccines. This was based on a recommendation of the India Expert Advisory Group meeting in December 2006 towards exploring the role of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in accelerating polio eradication efforts. The results of this study will shape implementation of a pilot round of IPV later on this year, and include strategies such as the use of Auto Disable Syringes (ADS) and coupling with other health interventions.





The next issue of this update features findings of a media reach and recall study conducted in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, strategic directions for the studies discussed above, and an upcoming Polio Eradication Workshop in Moradabad.