Vaccination Against Polio in DR Congo

According to UNICEF, engaging the community is key to putting an end to vaccine resistance and misinformation in Congo. Community mobilisers are therefore working to raise awareness among leaders and traditional leaders. Communication strategies are extended to include service providers, traditional and religious leaders, and decision makers at different levels. In addition, sustained advocacy, partnering, and community participation are being used with the goal of changing attitudes about vaccination in many previously resistant communities. 

Traditional chiefs bring together parents to have informal educational chats, and during these sessions, parents can ask questions and express their concerns. Mobilisers also hold sessions to convince parents to take part in the eradication of polio.

Health workers are also mapping refusal, which allows the project to pinpoint areas that need increased activity. In addition, outreach workers are learning active listening techniques that enable them to address the concerns of resistant leaders. Outreach activities include:

• public debates with the participation of whole villages;
• street theatre;
• door-to-door counselling; and
• radio and television public service announcements.

According to UNICEF, limited human resources and wide areas to cover mean that reaching families door-to-door - often on foot - is an enormous and strenuous task. Still, face-to-face communication is an effective way to reach families in remote areas where there is often no radio or television, and where trust is always the biggest issue. In person, mobilisers can respond to questions and doubts immediately, which makes convincing community members to embrace immunisation more effective.

Health, Polio, Immunisation

According to UNICEF, DRC almost achieved polio-free status in 2005, but the virus re-entered across the Angolan border in 2006. In an effort to eradicate the disease by 2015, UNICEF and its partners have placed a particular focus on engaging communities to increase immunisation coverage. Refusal often occurs because people don’t understand the value of immunisation or because they have heard rumours of harmful side effects. Having community members themselves serve as mobilisers increases effectiveness, as they are more likely to be listened to, and understand how to discuss the issue in a culturally appropriate way. Such strategies need to be strengthened, especially in high-risk areas and regions where resistance remains strong.