Human Chains, Rallies for Polio Awareness in UP

According to this news article, in February 2005 hundreds of schoolchildren in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India led their elders in a polio awareness drive. Their goal was "to eradicate misconceptions about the life-saving vaccine drops", which some adults in conservative, Muslim pockets of UP believe will make their children impotent. "Studies by sociologists say the people refusing the vaccines are distrustful of the government and believe that the vaccines are part of government efforts to control population growth." Encouraging parents to attend free camps to provide oral polio vaccines, "the tiny children urged all to take notice. 'We should eradicate polio completely,' said Anchal Guatam, a student. 'Polio has to be eradicated. No child should be left out in India. Hence we have all come here to create awareness about the disease,' added Mohit, another student."

The participation of children in this social mobilisation initiative is part of a strategy developed by UNICEF and the government of India to involve people "from all walks of life and religion" in efforts to communicate the importance of eradicating polio through vaccination. UNICEF has called in counsellors, most of them women, to try to address community concerns through interpersonal channels. Dignitaries have also been encouraged to participate. On February 27 2005, five Indian states, including UP, held a mass immunisation programme that featured a human chain. These dignitaries "'have been asked to show their commitment to eradicate polio. A three-kilometre chain has been formed which includes children too. We all want to renew our commitment to do away with polio,' said Chandra Bhanu, a government volunteer."

This article notes that the World Health Organization (WHO)'s global polio Technical Consultative Group (TCG) has identified India as one of 20 countries at risk of continued transmission of the disease. The past year has seen the resurgence of the disease in many pockets, particularly in UP and Karnataka. WHO experts stress that a single case of polio could lead to an outbreak of the disease and cause a setback to the organisation's campaign to eliminate polio worldwide.