POLIO COMMUNICATION
OVERVIEW
National Polio Communication Review
September 25-27, 2007
Kabul
Programme Structure
NEPI Department
Partners (WHO, UNICEF)
IEC Department
Polio Communication
Committee (PCC)
PHDs / REMTs & PEMTs
Zonal Partners (WHO,
UNICEF)
BPHS NGOs
Communication Strategy Progress on Geneva Milestones
 Developed and implemented consolidated Social Mobilization plan in line with
the Geneva Milestones for the infected areas along with a proactive media plan
(2007)
 IEC and NEPI department activities:

Polio Communication Planning Workshop (July 2006)

Polio Communication Committee (PCC) formation

Polio communication advisor recruitment (at MoPH)

Polio technical officer recruitment (in the South)

Polio communication STOP Volunteers

Social Mobilisation program initiation in the high risk districts of southern
and eastern provinces with BPHS NGOs

Branding of polio communication materials / messages

Communication & social mobilization training materials development

Media campaign, including production of TV/radio spots

Polio Field Study (under process) in the infected provinces
Communication strategy – Future
objectives
Information about polio immunization in branded
format should reach selected audiences in high risk
areas to increase campaign coverage
Communities are informed and ready for campaigns
through social mobilization programs held by BPHS
NGOs in southern & eastern provinces
Main strategies for reaching the audience are:



Advocacy—traditional, religious and political leaders
Mass Media
Social Mobilization & Inter-personal Communication
Main Communication Strategies
Advocacy
National Security Council
President Office
Polio Action Group
Provincial Governor
District Governor
Policy Action Group
Provincial Council
District ‘Shura’
Mass media
PSAs on TV and Radio
Editorial Coverage
Main Communication Strategies
Social Mobilization by BPHS NGO
Implementation
Training
Monitoring
Soc Mob Team Leader
Masters’ Training at
Provincial Level
PEMT
Soc Mob
Team Leader
Province
PPOs
SOC/MOB Coordinator
CHS or Designated by NGO
District
DC
ToTs at District Level
CHSs at DH, CHC, BHC
Health Facility (District)
Cluster Level
Core Team
Four Community Activists per CHS
DSTs
District
shura
Cluster
Cluster / Village
Level
Monitors
Elders
Mullah
Imams
Teachers
CHWs
P r e - (S)NID P e r I o d
IPC at
Village/home
Level
Volunteers
Family
Volunteers
Village
Shura
Strategic components & results
 Main activities:
 Developing brand identity (logo, tagline, brand book) for the polio
communication materials (posters, brochures, billboards, banners, Tshirts, caps, umbrellas etc.)
 Football matches between provinces to disseminate messages to
audience in the south (edutainment) and Rickshaw rallies
 Launching Media Campaigns around each NID at national level
(both through national and private channels) and around each SNID
at local levels to announce campaign dates and address drop out and
refusals. Spots (radio and TV) and posters used
 Social Mobilization at the district level in selected high risk areas
conducted by BPHS NGOs
 Regular trainings and supervision of all the activities been done by
Polio Communication Advisor in South and East
Branded Identity
Logo
The color (Afghan Flag)
Right hand
White color (Peace and Health )
Polio vaccination
Position 45o
Pashto Tagline
Baby Head
Horizontal position
Afghanistan Map
2 Polio drops
Baby Body
Horizontal Position
Dari Tagline
Tagline
Two drops of Polio vaccine, to every child, in every round
Football match and Rickshaw
parade
Training of Soc Mob District
Coordinators
Underlying Communication
Theory/Models
 Local traditional and religious values (perceived social
norms) are main principles for existing behaviours
 Barriers from low literacy rates, economic status, security
and geographical location acknowledged and incorporated
into planning
 Addressing economic, cultural and geographical differences
with different IEC material
 Social Mobilization using key influencers at the district level
 Using religious personalities to model behaviours / act as
change agents
Advocacy & partnerships
Achievements
High political support at presidential and
ministerial levels




Every campaign inaugurated by the
President or Minister of Public
Health
Letter sent by President to all
governors instructing them to assist
MoPH for PEI
Press conferences in each round of
NID / campaign inauguration
mobilizing media
International Peace Day and days
of tranquility proposed
Advocacy & partnerships
Achievements
At provincial level governors are supportive.
The governors are opening the campaigns
In Kandahar, Governor had appointed one focal point for
polio
District level social mobilization is creating a good
environment for campaigns including addressing refusals
 Based on the Post Campaign Assessments there are
improvements in immunization coverage
 An effective partnership is present between MoPH, Donors
and Implementers
88% of people in South Afghanistan reported interpersonal
source of information on NIDs compared to 73%
nationally.
Advocacy and Partnership
Challenges
• Local leaders still to be convinced to support
and advocate for Polio Eradication
• Weak community ownership for the polio
eradication program
• Weak coordination, monitoring and
supervision of BPHS NGOs during NID
campaign
Community & local mobilization
To address the issue of community participation and
ownership, participatory activities have been started
in at risk areas of the south and east
Recruiting vaccinators from the community
 Establishing a community monitoring process
 Four categories of people are being mobilized to work
with the communities prior to and during SIAs




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Teachers
Religious leaders
Community elders
Community Health Workers (CHWs)
Community & local mobilization
Key influencers becoming lead change
agents, with features in the Mass media
campaign (Mr. Hazrat Sibghatullah Mujadidi,
a religious leader, has several times
announced the commencement of campaigns)
Conducting social mobilization training for
the key influencers
Incorporation of IPC in volunteer training
Use of media
Mass media is important for the national campaign visibility and internal
and external advocacy
 6 spots developed for Polio (3 TV and 3 Radio)
2 for announcing the date, 2 for missing and drop out cases, 2 for refusals
 Aired in prime time in Tolo and Shamshad TVs and Arman and national and local
Radios

 Print media is standardized after branding and three standard posters, a leaflet and
banner developed for NIDS
 Social Mobilization Toolkit developed
 Roadside billboards with polio messages installed
 Round table discussions before campaigns in National and BBC Radio
No direct assessment for outcome or impact of the mass media so far
Media coverage takes place 7-10 days prior to the scheduled NIDs and SNIDs
Media briefings/
Interviews/National Committees
Media coverage takes place 7-10 days prior to the scheduled
NIDs and SNIDs:

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Interviews on Polio Eradication activities in the South and NIDS:
BBC Asia, Al-Jazeera international, IRINNEWS, Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), AFP, AP VOA, BBC Dari/Pashto
service Interviews with Reuters and Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty, Pajwak news agency
Media coverage for signing ceremony with the Government of
Japan for the opening of the national storage vaccine facility in
Kabul and funding for polio eradication activities
Sharing Information an ongoing basis with press officers of the
following National Committees for further distribution to the media:
UK, Netherlands, France, Canada and US Fund for UNICEF
Media briefings/
Interviews/National Committees

Visits to intensify visibility and support fundraising:
US Fund for UNICEF Clay Aikens visit to Bamyan
where he vaccinated a child and highlighted the polio
eradication activities in his US interviews
Peace One Day (POD) , where polio eradication
activities in Afghanistan have been filmed and will be
highlighted in a the POD's new film to be broadcasted in
May 2008
Child Alert Mission, Polio Eradication activities will be
presented in the Child Alert report in October 2007 as
well as the SOWCR 2008 in December
Vermillion with support from UNICEF has filmed the
worldwide effort to eradicate polio funded by Google/ to
be released in early 2008
Monitoring and Evaluation
 Improved Post Campaign Evaluation form to
include communication questions on the process
and impact of communication interventions
 A field study is underway in high risk areas to see
the impact of social mobilization and to get data on
knowledge, attitude and behaviour of people
regarding polio and polio immunization – Research
Department with technical inputs from NEPI
Integrated Intra-NID Checklist
Monitoring Checklist
Name of Cluster supervisor:
Region:
Round:
Province:
Dist.:
EPI in Afghanistan, National Immunization Days
Name of Monitor:
Village/Location visited:
Volunteer's name 1 (…… .) 2 (…….…)
1
1
2
3
4
Does the caretaker know about routine immunization?
Does the caretaker know about the next NIDs?
Has the caretaker been informed to report the AFP cases?
Did the caretaker hear about NIDs before the team visited? If yes
a
b
c
d
from the mosque
5
6
7
8
9
10
ONLY Two drops of Vaccine protect against Polio FOREVER
from the RADIO
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
Y/N
from TV
from the social mobilizer -1. Mullah 2 Teacher 3 Elder 4CHW
Y/N
Polio virus spreads through contaminated water
Washing hands with soap & water before eating/feeding can prevent Polio
Polio Vaccine can be given to a sick child
Polio Vaccine protects children from other diseases as well
How much time did the volunteer spend 1 <than 5 min 2.> 10 min
11 Has volunteer seen any banner and other promotional material in this locality. Y/N
Comments:
Signature:
Recommendation:
Date:
9
10 Total
Thank You