Health workers asked to help address polio vaccination refusals

PESHAWAR: The healthcare providers from 18 super high risk union councils of Shaheen Muslim Town-I were directed to help reach the finish line by addressing the chronic refusal cases in the community.

“The community listens to doctors and healthcare providers and act on their advice. And as such they can play an effective advocacy role in community sensitisation on essential immunisation and polio eradication,” Additional Secretary Health (polio) Abdul Basit told a one-day orientation workshop here.

The workshop was organised by Provincial Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with the Unicef and Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA).

AC Inayat Atta, Team Lead WHO Dr Gedi, Technical Focal Person EOC Dr Imtiaz, National Professional Officer WHO Dr Sarfaraz Afridi and communication team EOC were also present on the occasion.

Abdul Basit said the activity would help capacitate the pool of doctors with programmatic knowledge and communication skills for addressing polio related medical misconceptions of the communities at the grassroots.

He thanked the doctors and healthcare givers for their active participation in the activity and asking questions related to polio vaccination that were duly responded by the technical experts on polio.

“I hope that after the orientation session, the doctors fraternity will be better equipped and well informed to respond to community’s concerns and queries on polio,” he added.

Pakistan Paediatric Association general secretary Dr Bawar Shah gave a detailed presentation on frequently asked questions about polio, Oral Polio Vaccine, Inactivated Polio Vaccine, how polio spreads and its prevention.

Technical Focal Person PEOC Dr Imtiaz Ali Shah oriented participants about Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) history, poliomyelitis, types and virus strains, Global, National and Regional polio updates, programme priorities and regional challenges.

He shared updated status of polio cases in the province and oriented participants about Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) history, poliomyelitis, types and virus strains, Global, national and regional polio updates, programme priorities and regional challenges.

Unicef communication officer Shadab Younas discussed the key communication challenges in SHRUCs and on communication strategies to address these challenges.