India Polio Communication Update, July 2011

"Tracking and immunizing the nomadic population is now crucial for the polio eradication programme in India. Constantly on the move, they miss polio vaccination and routine immunization, and are at risk of not only getting polio but also spreading the virus."

This update, which is one of a series produced monthly by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) India in consultation with polio partners and is circulated by email as a PDF document, focuses on reaching migrant populations with the polio vaccine. Its features include:

• West Bengal Chief Minister leads the war against polio - As reported here, the newly elected Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, launched the June 26 polio campaign, calling on health workers and parents to take an oath to vaccinate their children. "The community mobiliser volunteers...continue to counsel families during and in between the polio rounds. Interactive meetings with mothers, religious leaders, influencers, street shows and magic shows, talking doll shows are being organized throughout the high-risk blocks to create awareness and mobilize the community....Persistent efforts to improve community mobilization through enhanced IPC [interpersonal communication] training and intense activities have led to reduction in refusals to OPV [oral polio vaccine] and cases of community declining polio vaccination due to sickness. Religious leaders, elected representatives of the panachayati raj and celebrities are being involved in polio advocacy. The Kolkata Knight Riders cricket team...joined the 'Bowl Out Polio' campaign ahead of a match in Kolkata and the May polio campaign."
• Panchayat leaders address polio risk factors - Recognising the importance of engaging elected people's representatives Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to support polio eradication, an interactive day-long workshop was organised in West Bengal on June 23. "The workshop, evoked good participation from even media, and enhanced local-ownership of the polio eradication programme."
• Tracking nomads in hard-to-reach areas - Over 100,000 members of a nomadic community (the Banjaras) congregated at the tiger reserve project in Uttar Pradesh for a weeklong Urs (for more information, see Wikipedia). The Social Mobilization Network (SMNet) in Uttar Pradesh sought permission of the State Forest Department to carry out polio vaccination during the congregation this year. Banners endorsed by the Dargah Sela Baba Committee were put up to create awareness. SMNet organised 14 group meetings, attended by 246 Banjara pilgrims, to discuss the importance of routine immunisation (RI), including polio. A rapid and small survey was conducted with 500 Banjara families, through random sampling, to know more about the community's perspective towards polio and health seeking behaviours.
• Brick kiln chimneys spread polio messages in Bihar - "With increased focus on migrants, UNICEF initiated efforts to generate awareness on polio among brick kiln workers. One way was through getting polio messages painted on brick kiln chimneys. The message was clear and simple - Polio-free India, two drops of protection, every child every time."
• Polio outreach with nomads at Pooth mela - Transit teams of vaccinators, put together by the Health department in collaboration with the National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP), were deployed at strategic points along the route of the nomadic tribe's pilgrimage (once every 4 years) to a shrine in order to immunise children accompanying the pilgrims. To reach them with polio messages, banners were displayed at strategic points, health camps were organised, and audio-visual shows were screened during the weeklong event.
• Nauchandi resonates with polio and RI messages - During the Nauchandi Mela or fair - one of the largest cultural events in Meerut, the traditional polio endemic district in western Uttar Pradesh, SMNet disseminated polio messages endorsed by local religious leaders and the district Chief Medical Officer through banners at prime locations and distributed leaflets to the devotees. Mobile kiosks (thelas) played messages on polio, and huge screens showed Amitabh Bachchan's polio films and video clips from UNICEF's flagship serial 'Kyun Ki.....jeena isi ka naam hai'. A local theatre group, 'Muktakash Natya Sansthan', was engaged to conduct street plays and magic shows on polio and other issues such as RI, diarrhoea management, hygiene, and sanitation and nutrition, including early initiation of and exclusive breastfeeding.
• Polio advocacy with over two million parents in Urs - The district authorities, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO)-NPSP, deployed 15 teams for 10 days from May 27 to June 6 2011 at strategic entry and exit points, such as the railway station. A local non-governmental organisation (NGO) also set up a health camp for the devotees. Banners and posters with messages on polio vaccination, endorsed by the dargah (a a Sufi shrine) authorities, were put up and leaflets distributed to the pilgrims at the dargah, as well as at the strategic entry and exit points and the health camp. Railways allowed display of banners on the Ala Hazrat Express, a train for devotees heading for the Urs in Ajmer and made regular announcements calling upon the devotees to ensure that their children take oral polio vaccine from the transit polio vaccination teams present at the station.

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