F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) conducted an orientation workshop for leading paediatriciansof the province to equip them with programmatic knowledge and communication skills for their improved role in shaping public opinion around essential immunization including polio vaccine.
Additional Director General (ADG) Health Services Hazara Region Dr. Faisal Khanzada was the chief guest on this occasion. The workshop was attended bymembers of the provincial chapter of Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) and its cabinet,area Coordinator WHO, Dr.Tayyaba, Social & Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Officer UNICEF Sohail Khan, Media Officer UNICEF Shadab Younas, senior journalist and trainer Aurangzeb Khan.
Additional Director General (ADG) Health Service welcomed all the participants and said that Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is a declared national health emergency in the country which needs across the board support from all segments of society.
Highlighting the critical role of paediatricians in supporting the government to protect our children from this crippling disease and achieve the goal of polio free Pakistan, he said that as health professionals especially doctors are a very significant and respected segment of society, and people from all walks of life listen to them very seriously and act upon their advises, they can play a pivotal role in shaping the public opinion in favour of polio eradication program and specifically in removing public misconceptions and resistance to polio vaccination.
He paid rich tributes to the health workers who braved all odds while visiting door-to-door to administer polio vaccines to the children. He said that surveillance is the foundation for eradication of diseases like polio and emphasized that upon public education, and improved sanitation services to protect the future of our children.
He hoped that this workshop will help the participants to interact with media in a more balanced and effective way, enabling them to educate the public for eradication of polio once and for all. Explaining the program background and the need for engagement with media, Media Officer UNICEF, MS. Shadab Younas shed light on the significance of partnerships & alliance building, background of partnership with PPA, media landscape of KP, media coverage of polio as well as the role the program is expecting the PPA to play in shaping public opinion in favour of polio program and in removing the existing myths and misconceptions among the people about polio vaccination.
SBCC Officer UNICEF Sohail Khan oriented the participants on EPI/ PEI synergy, community engagement, public communication and role of partners like PPA in PEI. Area Coordinator Abbottabad WHO, Dr Tayyaba shed light on the historical background of polio, types of vaccines, the rationale behind repeated doses for eradication of the virus, theglobal, national and regional polio updates, key challenges in polio eradication initiative specifically in southern KP and the support the polio program is expecting from the senior paediatricians in shaping the public opinion to tackle these challenges effectively.
Highlighting the significance of their role in the context of southern KP, she explained that southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are high risk areas as indigenous virus has been detected in the environment there that needs a lot of focus and support from the partners such as PPA to raise risk perception in the community and convince caregivers to ensure two drops of polio vaccine to the children in every campaign. Senior journalist and trainer, Aurangzeb Khan, while taking session on media handling techniques, discussed various tools and tips for effective communication with media. Heguided the participants on media tools like press conferences, media releases, interviews, talk shows and sounds of tape (SOTs).
He shed light on the need for preparedness and maintaining confidencebefore speaking with media and emphasized on how to respond to ambush questions from the journalists. Through practical exercises, he explained to the participants on how to respond to the questions of media persons during the press conferences, interviews and talk shows. At the conclusion of the workshop, ADG Health Services Dr. Faisal Khanzada handed over shields and certificates to the participants.
