Engaging Political Parties Religious Leaders and Tribal Elders in Killa-Abdullah for High Risk Groups

Killa-Abdullah a glimpse

Killa Abdullah reported the highest number of polio cases in any district of Pakistan in 2011.

Child vaccinators- lead to missed children

District reported highest number of OPV refusals in any district of Balochistan– more than 7000 (July 2011 PCM)

District reported highest number of children missed due to No Teams 78% (July 2011 PCM )

Following launch of National Emergency Action Plan COMNet structure was launched in Killa-Abdulah including 2 DHCSOs, 8 UCOs and 48 Social Mobilizers in 10 HRUCs

Killa-Abdullah predominantly is inhibited by Pashtoon Achakzai tribe

62% of the cases in the district were from Achakzai sub tribes highest number being Malazai sub tribe

Tribes from the Afghanistan reside in the union councils bordering southern Afghanistan Malazai, Noorzai , Hassanzai

Killa-Abdullah tribal distribution

Name of Parliamentarian

Polio cases

Union councils

Zamarak Khan 3/22 8

Capt. Khaliq Achakzai 16/22 2

Haji M.Nawaz 3/22 3

Key political parties in Killa-Abdullah are :

• PashtoonKhaw Mili Awami Party• Jamait -i-ulema-Islam (F)• Jamait-i-Ulema-Islam(N)• Awami National Party

Killa-Abdullah political parties

More than half of refusals in Killa-Abdullah refused vaccination on religious grounds.

More than 70 Madrissa’s operate in Killa-Abdullah which are popular across the border.

More than 7500 refusals were recorded in the August 2011 round

Killa-Abdullah religious communities

69%

13%

8%

10%

Reasons of refusals -October 2010 (source refusal log book)

Religious(n) Misconception(n)Repeated campaign(n) Others(n)

Tribal EldersReligious Leaders

Political parties

Focus of communication activities- bring everyone together

We started with…

Social Mapping and Micro-planning of High

Risk Union Councils

Social profile-UC Roghani 2

Social Map- Union Council Boghra

Community Meetings with Tribal Elders

Meetings were conducted with tribal elders sensitizing them on the recent outbreak in the district.

Following that the tribal elders –called Jirgha or Majlis in their Baitaks where they invited members of their tribes who were sensitized on OPV safety and efficacy and urged the community to support Polio campaigns by providing eligible polio team members, addressing OPV refusal families and provision of safe passage for the polio teams

Communication team engaged key religious leaders and leadership of religious political parties as JUI as a result• 8 District level “Religious Congregations” held in October and December 2011• Follow up meetings conducted at Madrissa ‘s and local mosques.• Major events included administration of polio drops by JUI (F) leader

Maulana fazal Ur Rehman and written endorsement by Maulana Abdul Ghani who is influential across the borders.

Engaging religious leaders

Involving political parties for Polio Eradication

Meetings were held with prominent political parties of the district.

5 All parties conference was arranged at district level with the support of deputy commissioner .Including JUI(F),JUI(N) , ANP ,PKMAP and other politicians

Parties were urged to provide eligible team members, assist the teams in addressing refusals and promote polio campaigns

What did we achieve ?

s

Grand jirgah on Polio eradication which brought all the political parties, community elders and religious leaders on one forum to eradicate polio from the district

Polio walks representatives from all political parties, religious groups and tribes participated in polio walks held before December 2011 ,January and March 2012 campaign .

Religious leaders and political parties were also actively engaged by public display of support to PEI through inaugurations , mosque announcements and addressing refusals

Cross-Border communications :Regular cross border meetings were conducted between Killa-Abdullah and Boldak team with a particular focus on communications

August, 2011 September, 2011

October, 2011

December, 2011

January, 2012

February, 2012

March, 2012

7560 7373 7342

5660 5760

4273

3247

1586

2736

1950 2150 2400 2627 2650

Recorded refusals during SIAs (August 2011 –March 2012 )

source PCR DataRecorded Covered

30%

20%

5%

13%

32%

Reasons of refusals -March 2012 (source refusal log books)

Religious Misconception DemandRepeated round Others

Marked reduction in religious refusals

What did we achieve ?

August September October December Feb-12 Mar-12124 296

8291109

23742650

Killa-Abdullah refusals covered by COMNet staff

Killa-Abdullah

Improvement

in number of

refusal

children

vaccinated

by COMNet