Quick Links #13: Reflections on the 18th IMB report through a communication lens

Below you'll find a commentary on the 18th IMB report and the issues it raises for communication.  Many other resorces including IMB reports can be found on The Communication Initiative Polio Networks website.

Hi Everyone,

This Quick Links is a bit different and focuses on communication challenges emerging from the last IMB report.  I am hoping it inspires some of you to do your own reflections and comment back on the issues you find most urgent, what your thoughts are on whether and where the IMB got it right or not, and the directions and priorities you feel polio communication needs to move in over the coming critical months.  Below is a brief sketch of the issues raised and you can find the full document Reflections on the 18th IMB Report: Communication Themes and Priorities on The CI site and a more detailed summary of it on the Polio network site here.

The 18th IMB report posed some challenging questions for GPEI as a whole and for its communication direction and focus.  Some of these were explicit and highlighted in the communication section of the report found on pages 17 and 18.  Others were implicit within other findings that require a strong communication strategy.  This reflection is an attempt to pull these challenges together into a single document to catalyse discussion on the communication decisions facing the programme at this challenging and unique point in its history.

There will likely be some communication implications this reflection has missed and we hope this document inspires further reflection and discussion to flesh out and add to the points below as well as generating ideas for the strategies and programme initiatives that will help us respond.  A summary of the main points we've focussed on is below:

The big question - should the programme move more quickly and profoundly from a vertical single antigen delivery system with communication largely focused on persuading people to vaccinate their children against polio to a more integrated approach that embeds polio vaccination within a range of related services in high demand by the communities it seeks to reach?

The impact of COVID-19 - what levels of COVID-19 support can the programme maintain as campaigns restart, what changes are occurring in community perception towards vaccination, how do these things impact on the vertical versus embedded question above?

Integrated services - can demand for polio be increased in the context of a global pandemic especially for already marginalised and underserved populations in high risk areas if polio vaccine is the only service being offered?

Multiple vaccines - the foreseeable vaccine environment demands the programme be prepared for risks associated with the use of a variety of vaccines and global supply shortages which are imposing changes and reducing choice on things like vaccine sourcing, vial size, and VVM.

Strengthening communication strategy and insight - how to incorporate communication expertise from outside the programme in ways that support and challenge communication strategies and approaches.

Pakistan - how to increase and sustain consistent and effective community engagement to high risk and vulnerable groups such as the Pashtun in a context where full time community engagement resources like CBV have been reduced and replaced by more campaign focused resources such as SMTs.

Afghanistan - the IMB recommendation for a stronger and well-funded partnership with BPHS NGOs will also require a strong communication engagement strategy at a time when south Afghanistan is struggling with its ability to establish such a strategy in areas it has access and runs the programme itself through the ICN.  Both the stronger link to NGOs in inaccessible areas and strengthening engagement in accessible areas will require different communication approaches.

Nigeria - planning for scale down while retaining community support and the capacity to quickly respond to cVDPV.

If you have time I look forward to comments and further thoughts which you can add through the posting in the comments section below.

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The Quick Links archive can be found on the Polio and Immunisation Network

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For more information see:

CI Polio Network

http://www.comminit.com/polio/category/sites/global/polio

GPEI Resources

http://polioeradication.org/tools-and-library/

UNICEFs Rhizome C4D site

https://poliok.it/c4d

 Cheers

Chris

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