EOC COMMUNICATION UPDATE Issue no.165 IVv v a EOC Communication update 165th Edition WWW.ENDPOLIO.COM.PK ISSUE NO. 165 - JUNE 1, 2018 My polio-free district is a step towards a polio-free Pakistan Meet a doctor at the frontline of polio eradication Almost everyone in the Killa Saifullah district of Balochistan, Pakistan, knows and respects 35-year-old Taj Muhammad. A dedicated and passionate doctor by profession, Dr Taj spends his days working as a Union Council Medical Officer in his local public health facility, and his evenings running a free medical clinic for local residents. In his capacity as Medical Officer, he coordinates polio eradication efforts at the Union Council level, which is the smallest administrative unit in Pakistan. His role includes coordinating microplanning, training frontline health workers, and supervising polio vaccination campaign activities. Since the start of his medical career in 2007, he has supervised more than 100 polio vaccination campaigns. Dr Taj says he became a doctor to fill the existing health care gap in his area. “During my childhood, my mother was seriously ill and she died because of the absence of medical facilities in our area. She often used to tell me that I must become a doctor to help poor people with their health. She died afterwards but her words are still in my heart,” he explains. His hometown, Killa Saifullah, is located 135 kilometers away from Balochistan’s provincial capital Quetta. Economic and social deprivation is widespread, and the district lacks basic health facilities, particularly for women and children. “There is only one hospital, serving only 150 people per day in the district, whereas the current population is more than 200,000. In these conditions, working as a medical officer is quite challenging,” Dr Taj says. His job is tiring, and the demands are huge, but Dr Taj perseveres. As well as supporting polio vaccination activities, and endorsing vaccination, each day he tends to the large crowd of people who gather outside his evening clinic, often desperately needing health care. His work to serve his community is particularly important because Killa Saifullah lies close to Dukki, where the only case of polio in Pakistan so far in 2018 was reported. Nawabzada Dara Khan, who chairs EOC COMMUNICATION UPDATE | ISSUE NO. 165 2 the Killa Saifullah’s Municipal Committee, notes that the community feels “vulnerable” knowing that the virus is close by. Since the first polio case of 2018 was detected, polio vaccination campaigns have been conducted in response in all neighboring districts, including Killa Saifullah. But whilst this has increased immunity to the virus, it has also caused vaccine hesitancy amongst some parents, who question the need for multiple vaccination campaigns. “We are trying hard to vaccinate each and every child; however, repeated campaigns and misconceptions are posing a big challenge for us,” Dara Khan says. Luckily, the efforts of dedicated doctors like Dr Taj are helping to remove misconceptions and doubt. With the immense trust and respect he enjoys from his community, he has been able to use his free evening clinic as a local platform to advocate for polio eradication and the safety of the vaccine, extending his critical role in the polio programme. Dara Khan adds, “The contribution of Dr Taj in polio eradication is commendable. His goodwill is playing a very positive role within our community to remove these misconceptions.” His impact is also wide ranging, reaching multiple different families. The proof? In April, thanks to the intensive efforts of Dr Taj and others, no parents or caregivers in Killa Saifullah refused vaccination. That’s 70,690 children who now have lifelong protection from polio. Jeeto Pakistan Game Show Hosts Polio Vaccination and Sehat Muhafiz A special mass media campaign for Ramazan in support of polio eradication continues to deliver effective messages on national TV channels throughout the holy month to raise awareness on repeated dose, risk perception and addressing rumours and misconceptions. One of the key features of the campaign is the endorsement of polio vaccination by Jeeto Pakistan Game Show on ARY Digital which consists of dedicated Sehat Muhafiz branded segments between 9 to 10 PM every night for ten consecutive shows. To highlight polio eradication messages, the game show has branded participants’ podiums, host’s question sheets, gift boxes, huge center-stage digital LED display screen etc with Sehat Muhafiz logo and slogan “Polio ke 2 Qatre, Har Bacha, Har Baar” (Two drops of polio vaccine, every child, every campaign). During the programme, renowned film and television actor, producer and host of Jeeto Pakistan, Fahad Mustafa, interacts with participants and general audience to convey messages in a simple and light manner. Fahad Mustafa’s messages revolve around the importance of vaccinating all children under five EOC COMMUNICATION UPDATE | ISSUE NO. 165 3 years of age whenever the vaccine is offered to them, the responsibility of parents and caregivers, why it is critical to eradicate polio from the country and the world, why polio vaccine is given repeatedly etc. Jeeto Pakistan is country’s most widely viewed TV game show with highest TV Rating Points (TRPs) especially during the month of Ramazan. Polio messaging has been incorporated in the programme’s popular Gold segment “Baat Banti Hai”, which accumulates proven viewer interest as per Kantar’s television ratings of viewership trends, trusted and used by country’s all major advertisers and market players). The current media campaign is part of the PEI’s communication strategy which aims to gain support from the communities by strengthening and expanding the existing influencers base at all levels. The mass media visibility strategy has been based on scientific research data which provides evidence- based information about the most effective mediums and methods for the dissemination of critical communication messages to the parents of consistently missed and still missed children. The most effective feature of the show is the presence of polio vaccinators in the audience throughout the segment. They vaccinate and finger mark all under 5 children present on the show. In a special episode on 1st June, the host accompanied by Sehat Muhafiz vaccinators in the presence of a renowned health expert Dr. Syed Nusrat Ali (Polio Focal Person of the Commissioner of Karachi) vaccinated many children on the center stage. The whole activity was live broadcasted by the channel. Ramazan campaign includes placement of polio eradication PSAs aired at Iftar dua, Sehri time as well as guest placement at religious shows such as SAMAA TV’s Bilal Qutab and Dunya TV’s Deen o Duniya shows. Polio case update: PROVINCE 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 PUNJAB 9 2 7 5 2 0 1 0 SINDH 33 4 10 30 12 8 2 0 KPK 23 27 11 68 17 8 1 0 FATA 59 20 65 179 16 2 0 0 BALOCHISTAN 73 4 0 25 7 2 3 2* GILGIT-BALTISTAN 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 AZAD JAMMU & KASHMIR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 198 58 93 306 54 20 8 2 * Last reported case from Dukki, Balochistan province on April 15, 2018 (Onset Date). ************************ .