Valuable Role of Children in Community Mobilization for Polio Eradication

A unique component of social mobilization in polio eradication is involvement of children for community mobilization initiated in the high risk district of Uttar Pradesh. The local community mobilization coordinator (CMC) conducts polio classes called “Fun Class” prior to each polio vaccination round and organize children’s brigades called “bulawa tolis”. During fun classes the CMC orients them on importance of immunization, hand-washing, and virus circulation cycle using innovative tools such as games, cock-a-doodle-do rally and communication materials.

Communication Strategy

 - Children became the child mobilizer 

 - Emphasis of messages on healthy family and community

·    Hand washing prevents childhood illnesses like diarrhoea and polio.

·    Promotion of hand washing behaviour before mid-day meal.

·    Involvement of school teachers

·    Increase use of toilets  

·   Incentives played an important role in mobilizing and sustaining involvement of children.

Method: Combination of quantitative and qualitative data are collected and analysed monthly as a part of user friendly Monitoring and Reporting System.

Result: Helped in creating enabling environment and spirit of volunteerism among children. At present it is implemented in non-CMC areas. More than one thousand schools are involved and the booth coverage is constantly improving in CMC areas (82.4%) as compare to non-CMC areas (47.1%) in Core Group Polio Project districts.

Conclusion: Creative, Correct, Simple messages, coupled with interesting interventions will lead to effective involvement of children, teachers and community.

Key Learnings

•  Make communication simple and interesting

•  Address doubts of teachers and students in simple language immediately.

•  Always involve school authorities