Polio Chowk in Moradabad: Civil Society Contribution for Polio Eradication

This photo essay from the CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP) illustrates the installation of a statue depicting a mother and child. Unveiled on February 23 2013, the day prior to the National Immunisation Day (NID), the monument, "Polio Chowk", is located in the middle of the crossroads in the city of Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh (UP), India). The word "Chowk" means "square" in the local language (a place where 4 roads meet) and, on such a "Chowk", the monument stands tall above the bustling traffic of Moradabad City. The purpose of the "Polio Chowk" is to remind the community about continuing participation in the polio eradication programme until India is declared polio-free (it was taken off the list of endemic countries in 2012). Moradabad district was the hub of polio virus circulation, and the polio eradication programme encountered huge communication challenges.

The monument is comprised of a large mother/child sculpture surrounded by the slogan "2 drops of life" sitting on a base with 4 panels describing the history of the polio effort in India, an acknowledgement of partners, and other key messages. The monument sits upon a dedicated piece of land in a busy intersection, provided for this purpose by the local government, "reminding all who pass by of the battles won and the battles still to come in order to eradicate polio finally, officially and completely from Moradabad and the world. As dozens of media cameras clicked and whirred, the District Magistrate cut the ribbon and expressed pride, joy and renewed commitment, made particularly memorable by the fact that several international delegations were witness to this unprecedented and emotional event. CGPP teams from Angola, South Sudan and Ethiopia, along with senior officials from the US [United States], all participated in the event, and all felt a strong sense of being part of history in the making. The local government’s intense sense of ownership was clearly evident."

Click here for the 24-slide presentation in PDF format.