Communication Update 50

EOC COMMUNICATION UPDATE
ISSUE - XXXXX
Editor’s Note
As we release the 50th issue of EOC Communication Update, I would like to
express gratitude to the readers and all stakeholders for their continued
encouragement and feedback that has propelled this initiative since its launch.
Tributes are due to the leadership for the guidance and valuable input that
continues to inspire the editorial team. The update which is transmitted
electronically every week and available on all web based platforms of the Polio
program in Pakistan has played a critical role in keeping all stakeholders abreast of both
communication and operations related developments. It has been making an effort to bridge
the information gap amongst those who work for the program besides giving voice and a
national platform to those working diligently in the field and making a real difference in
their areas of responsibility.
In today's world effective and appropriate communication is considered a sin qua non for
the success of any Public Health Initiative. A community equipped with the right
information and empowered to take the right decisions based on the information forms the
basis of a progressive society.
Far away from the world of brick and mortar of a health facility, communication builds an
infrastructure in the minds of the people that helps them take charge of their own health and
wellbeing. An enabling environment ensures that the informed community has the
wherewithal to achieve a healthful life. The task of communication therefore is not done till
those who make policies and take decisions for the people are also informed and motivated
alongside those who rule public perception and influence opinion.
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A communicator’s challenge thus remains multi-pronged
from working with the communities, to partnering with
organizations and groups to harness the existing human
capital and material resources, to advocating with the
power centers that drive societies and nations.
The day never ends for a communicator-from
strategizing during working hours and going through
the rigors of a 9 to 5 existence to liaising with the media
whose work starts gathering pace as the sun goes down. It
is a perpetual state of wakefulness that the highly
challenging work in the realm of communication
demands.
Communicators often deal with intangibles and have to
work on a regular day to day basis with external actorspeople outside the health system. Patience, tact and
Perseverance are therefore of critical importance to those
working in this area.
"We are passing through a
Make or Break moment in our
final fight to defeat poliovirus.
With the same determination
and a little extra effort, we
will Insha Allah defeat the
scourge of this crippling
disease and hand over a Polio
free future to the next
generation".
Prime Minister’s Focal Person
on Polio Eradication,
Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq
Polio communication has played a vital role in success of
the program over the years creating and sustaining long
term demand for the service and ensuring a place for the
initiative high on the national agenda and in public
discourse. Over time the Program has built a strong
infrastructure with professionals working at all tiers to
work side by side with operations in accomplishing a
common objective.
On behalf of the ever growing communication fraternity
of the Polio Program, let me take the opportunity to
reiterate our strongest commitment to the cause and
express the determination to fight polio to the finish.
Mazhar Nisar
(Tamgha-i-Imtiaz)
Editor
“History has witnessed Pak
nation
invariably
accomplishing
what
it
committed to itself. Today
entire Pakistan stands united
to wipe he crippling virus off
our motherland and we are
going to make it in 2016
Insha Allah”
National EOC Coordinator
Dr. Rana Muhammad Safdar
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NATIONAL CHILD HEALTH CONSORTIUM
The core objective of establishing a NCHC is to
enhance the awareness on the routine
Immunization and polio among communities and
society at large to create an enabling
environment for health workers to be respected
among the communities and to perform their job
and to manage perception of target groups First meeting was held in Islamabad where a select
making
them
more
receptive
towards gathering of civil society leaders from Islamabad,
immunization services.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA attended.
In the same backdrop, a series of meetings was
organized at national and provincial levels to
engage civil society leaders for the cause of
promoting child health, immunization against all
vaccine preventable diseases and polio
eradication initiative.
OUTCOMES:
Second meeting was held in Lahore with select
gathering of participants from the province.
Following outcomes has been emanated out as a
result of the civil society engagement
-
Collaboration with Pakistan Television
Network
Third meeting was held in Karachi where a select
gathering of diverse section of society
Pakistan Television Network - a state media with
huge network and maximum outreach has collaborated with the cause. PTV is being
watched in all remote areas where satellite channels are not accessible. With the
support of a senior leadership of the network, a number of civic messages are produced
and being run on the network to disseminate awareness. These messages carry
complete story to highlight issues like significance of vaccinating children, threat
perception in case of missed children and integration of immunization services and polio
vaccination.
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At a second stage, regional adaptations of these messages are being developed so that
to approach the target population with more focus. NCHC provided technical assistance
in clearing content of the messages.
-
A motivational song sung by Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
NCHC Secretariat NCHC secretariat has
commissioned a motivational song with
Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and
dedicated it to the cause. Lyrics of the
song are about motivation for a
collaborative and participatory approach
to conquer all hardships in the way for a
better future. Lyrics and composition
was done by Wajih Akhtar, convener
NCHC while Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is the
lead vocalist along with Wajih Akhtar.
Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is a legendary singer of the subcontinent with an
international fame. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is the first Pakistani to be invited to perform at
the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. He is the winner of some of the most prestigious
awards which include UK Asian Music Award, IIFA Award, Filmfare Award and Mirchi
Music Award to name a few. Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has collaborated with some of
the most celebrated and iconic legendary singers including Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam
for 'Dead Man Walking' soundtrack, 'The Four Feathers' soundtrack with James Horner
and Academy Award winner Mel Gibson for 'Apocalypto' soundtrack. Wajih Akhtar is
also a social activist and a media development expert. He has also produced songs on
MNCH and national harmony in the past
-
Collaboration with FM Channels
Research has showed that radio is the most frequent mode of disseminating messages
among communities. Therefore NCHC focused on FM channels to bring the FM channel
and radio representatives on board. Response of FM channels was also over whelming
as FM 100 First ever private FM channel with largest network dedicated a regular prime
time to the cause. First program of the series on-aired in November.
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FM 101 is also contributing a regular air time to the cause and a fortnightly program
“Tandrust Pakistan” is being on aired on FM 101 network to support the cause. FM HOT
105 Karachi has also been pro actively contributing towards the cause by broadcasting
exclusive syndicated radio programs on polio and immunization.
-
Support to Compulsory Immunization Legislation at national and Provincial
level
Civil society representatives of the consortium supported the compulsory Immunization
legislation at various platforms. In the context, members of the consortium participated
in the Public Hearing organized by the Chairperson, Senate Standing Committee on
National Health Services, Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi on the draft compulsory
Immunization Bill tabled by Senator Ayesha Raza Faorooq in the Senate of Pakistan. In
the public hearing, the participated gave their feedback on various clauses of the Bill
and urged the Senate Standing Committee members to expedite the process of
passage of the legislation for long term benefits of the children of Pakistan.
Similarly on the basis of positive response of the civil society in Islamabad, civil society
from Lahore and Karachi issued joint signed Declarations urging to their provincial
Governments to support the Federal Compulsory Immunization
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LAHORE
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KARACHI
Following the Declaration, a session with members of the Provincial Assembly of the
Punjab was held under the joint chairpersonship of Advisor to CM on Health, Khawaja
Salman Rafiq and Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio , Senator Ayesha Raza
Farooq to present the broad contours of the Compulsory Immunization Bill Members of
Provincial Assembly of the Punjab supported the legislation and urged the Government
to bring this legislation in the House for implementation.
-
Collaboration with Children Global Network for community engagement at
Peshawar District
Children’s Global Network Pakistan (CGNP) is a non-profit organization working in
the education sector since 2002 through innovative interventions and policy reforms
to improve access to and quality of education for children in Pakistan. They are also
working to create a national and international priority and commitment towards Early
Childhood Care and Development. They are in collaboration with the teams in
district Peshawar to enhance community engagement through mobilizing their
Mohallah Committees and volunteers force. These mohallah committees have
volunteers who engage with local communities and share information about general
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hygiene, health and education. They have joined hands with volunteers of polio
program to disseminate messages of polio and routine immunization awareness and
identify and convince refusals.
-
Pakistan Girl Guides Association collaboration with CDA polio campaigns;
Pakistan Girl Guides Association was organized by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali
Jinnah on 29th December1947. Pakistan Girl Guides Association has the status of a
National Organization registered with the National Council of Social Welfare
Voluntary Agencies act of 1961. PGGA is collaborating with the programme in terms
of raising awareness through volunteers force, schools involvement, social
mobilization during and between the campaigns. PGGA in its first step is initiating
the support in Islamabad. After piloting the success model in Islamabad, it will be
replicated in other areas.
-
Theatrical performance at Rafi Peer Theatre;
With the support of NCHC secretariat, Mediations Pakistan and a play write form
Lahore, who is also a member of the NCHC had volunteered and written a play on
significance of immunization for healthy and prosperous future. MUSTAKBILL - a
satirical comedy play on the apathy of the society towards the issues like child health
and future of the country. The play was being staged at annual youth festival of Rafi
Peer Theatre in Lahore.
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Polio literacy awareness in universities;
Polio literacy campaign started in universities to bring youth on board and to join
hands for the cause of spreading the message of compulsory immunization and
polio free Pakistan.
-
Youth participation in various districts;
President of the National Youth Assembly, Hanan Ali Abbasi, as a member of the
NCHC became an ambassador of the cause. He embedded and disseminated
message of support immunization in all his public speaking. These session were
conducted in various districts including Swabi, Charsadda, Faisalabad and Sialkot
etc.
-
National Child Health Consortium in the Media
Civil society representatives being members of the Consortium remained very visible in
media and issued statements in support of compulsory Immunization and Polio
Eradication for every eligible child.
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Social Media Messages by Civil Society Leaders
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The role of Religious Scholars in Polio Eradication Initiative & Routine
Immunization
High Risk Population Unit at National
EOC is engaged with renowned
religious scholars of the country and
utilizes their services for social
development and enhancing the role
of religious media in polio eradication
initiative.
A Press Conference for High Risk
Union Councils of KP & FATA was
organized two days prior to NIDs,
where more than 50 renowned
Ulama had participated in the presiding ship of Sheikh Ul Hadith Maulana Husain
Ahmad President PSTF KP/FATA. The event was highlighted in eleven local
newspapers.
Nine district level consultative meetings/awareness sessions were organized to
sensitize the religious influencers of high risk UCs. Two sessions were organized for
district Peshawar, two for Khyber Agency, two for Bannu, two for FR Bannu & North
Waziristan Agency, and two for Qilla Abdullah Baluchistan. The most influential Ulama
has patronized the events as key speakers. A sum of 445 religious influencers were
directly sensitized regarding polio campaign and eradication initiatives.
Details of activities performed
S No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Activity's Description
Press Briefing for High Risk UCs
of KP/FATA
2 Consultative Meeting, District
Level
2 Consultative Meeting, Khyber
Agency FATA
2 Consultative Meeting, District
Level
2 Consultative Meeting, NWA &
FR Bannu FATA
2 Consultative Meeting, District
Level
4 Training & Orientation
Workshop for RSPs
Development, Production, &
Distribution of Leaflet
Development, Production, &
Distribution of Booklet
Pax
Location
Date
Status
52
Peshawar
9-Nov-15
Completed
55
Peshawar
24-Nov-15
70
Peshawar
25-Nov-15
58
Bannu
28-Nov-15
62
FR Bannu &
NWA
29-Nov-15
54
Qilla Abdullah
8-Dec-15
94
Quetta
9-Dec-15
Completed
2000 Units
Religious
Media
16-Dec-15
Completed
4000 Units
High Risk UCs
16-Dec-15
Completed
Completed
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Promoting Polio free Pakistan – A positive trend, the communication gains
The focus of the communication this year was to match the complexity of the
circumstances, the programme was facing. Based on the experience and data analysis
available a paradigm and systematic shift was made in the program form covered
children to missed children. The communication strategy concentrated on missed
children, humanize vaccinators, and shift from individual acceptance of vaccination to
acceptance as community norm.
All the messages used in the program communication, advocacy with
parliamentarians, civil societies and media were embedded with the above strategy to
achieve overall goal of the National Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication to stop
Wild Polio Virus transmission by May 2016.
The
current
trend
clearly depicts the
massive reduction
of missed children
across
the
country. This is
certainly a very
positive trend as
the reduction is
more than three
folds. Not only
this, we are at a
stage
in
time
where refusals are ever low in Pakistan. The reduction in the refusal rate is more than
50% as compared with the last year. A great progress has been seen in covering these
missed children. As the recorded missed children in a campaign are more than three
million and out of these 3 million still missed are around 0.1 million which is itself a very
encouraging. Our endeavor to reach zero missed children does not end here, we are
focused and all geared to reach the zero mark.
Not only focusing on reaching the zero missed children for polio vaccination
thought campaign but also improving the coverage of routine immunization. To bring
polio to end, IPV was very effectively introduced this year in the routine immunization
schedule. Continuous efforts are being made to increase the coverage of routine
vaccination to strengthen polio eradication.
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Polio case update:
PROVINCE
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
PUNJAB
17
7
9
2
7
5
1
sSINDH
12
27
33
4
10
30
12
KPK
29
24
23
27
11
68
15
FATA
20
74
59
20
65
179
16
BALOCHISTAN
11
12
73
4
0
25
7
GILGIT-BALTISTAN
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
AZAD JAMMU & KASHMIR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TOTAL
89
144
198
58
93
306
51
In the last past week, two new cases were reported from Pakistan. One case was
reported from Karachi Gulshan Iqbal, Sindh and other one from Khyber, FATA.