India Communication Update (ICU), May 2011

This update is produced monthly by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) India in consultation with polio partners and is circulated by email as a PDF document. Its purpose is to provide stakeholders with a concise update on strategic developments in the communication effort for polio eradication in India, in response to the fast-evolving epidemiological situation in the country.

The May 2011 edition focuses on the concerted efforts being made since the Government of India charged the polio eradication programme with responding to every single case of polio as a national public health emergency. The reader learns in the introductory section of the resource ("Where the battle is One") that, in West Bengal, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has increased the number of Field Volunteers employed to support the immunisation effort through door-to-door interpersonal communication (IPC) and the identification of key local influencers from 700 volunteers in March to 1800 volunteers in May. "Pockets of resistance to polio immunization are being tackled with focused IPC, with a dramatic upscale in posters and other materials, media workshops, radio advertisements, and the use of the local theatre group Banglanatak.com, which conducted more than 300 shows in March, drawing more than 40,000 viewers. Local imams have been engaged to support the polio eradication effort, launching the polio booths in high-risk areas and making announcements from mosque loudspeakers asking the community to support the campaigns."

Other contents include:

• Father Turns Polio Advocate
• Polio Immunization at Howrah Station during Holi Rush
• 'Change Agents' in High-Risk Areas
• Imams Lend a Helping Hand in West Bengal
• Street Shows Mobilize Resistant Families in West Bengal
• Rickshaw Rally Rolls out Polio Message in Lucknow
• Polio Afflicted Volunteer Mobilizes Community
• A Million Fathers Hear the Polio message