Aanchal Kapoor (GNLU, Gandhihagar)
The real success of Polio eradication campaign lies in reaching out to the people during each immunization round and making it a people’s campaign.
Photo: Sonakshi Pandey
Earlier this year, it was announced that it has been a year since any polio case had been reported in India. Our country is on the brink of eradicating this disease which affects thousands of children each year across the globe. In India, 1000 children suffered from Polio every day as per the National Polio Surveillance Project. By 2007 the numbers had dropped to 4 per day. This was a major milestone in Polio Eradication. Saurabh Tripathi, the WHO Representative for India, has said that if this momentum is maintained, India will be eligible to get the WHO Polio Eradication Certificate in a few years.[1]
The Health Ministry and UNICEF have done a remarkable job in the eradicating polio campaign. A wide range of workers and volunteers, from both inside and outside the health sector, had been employed to deliver the polio vaccine and also to monitor progress in virtually every area of the country; regardless of the infrastructure available. Further, high level political advocacy and mass mobilization were utilized to the optimum benefit in this programme. The real success of Polio eradication campaign lies in reaching out to the people during each immunization round and making it a people’s campaign. There had been minor setbacks due to lack of cooperation from Education and Child Welfare Departments in some States; which fortunately did not deter the effective implementation of the programme.
The mass media, which is a powerful channel of information to the public, was also used to a large extent in the campaign. For over a decade now, India has witnessed mass campaigns and marketing strategies that had been adopted by the government. The message of polio eradication was delivered in a variety of interesting ways with the help of media, such as advertising the commercial advantages of polio vaccination on television. In the past, the support from celebrities has helped to a large extent in reaching out to the people involving them with the campaign. Actors like Amitabh Bachchan have previously helped in promoting awareness about the eradication of Polio through television advertisements. The advertisements came with a catchy tag line- “do boond zindagi ki” which became famous throughout the country. Players of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders endorsed Polio eradication in India. The team members administered Polio drops to promote this drive. This initiative was a part of UNICEF’s “Bowl Out Polio” campaign.
The concept of Polio Ravivaar has also been instrumental in eradicating this disease. One Sunday every month would be chosen, and children below the age of five were administered oral polio vaccination across the country. The Sunday was popularly known as “polio ravivaar”. Government hospitals hoisted banners outside their buildings, informing the public of this important day each month. Moreover, promotion of concept of health as a basic right, supported by leaflets providing more information or reinforcing the message, would be distributed to the public.
The global polio eradication initiative is headed by WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In order popularize the campaign amongst the higher strata of the society; Rotary International has launched airport baggage tags which said- “End Polio Now”.
Jong- wookLee, WHO Director-General has said- “For polio campaigns to reach every child, state and district-level governments must be committed and engaged. Only then can polio-virus transmission be interrupted.”
For more details on the issue of Polio Eradication see www.polioeradication.org.
[1] India to get polio eradication certificate in a few years: WHO, at http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/dehradun/49246-india-to-get-polio-eradication-certificate-in-a-few-years-who.html.
HUMAN RIGHTS ON CAMPUS 