Leap of Faith

Central to this initiative is a short (2.5-minute-long) Urdu-language film (see below) that captures the story of a Pakistani expatriate working as a taxi driver in Dubai, UAE, and the impact polio has on the life of his children living in Pakistan. He reflects on his regret at not getting his daughter vaccinated against polio. The film shows how his daughter is coping with the condition.

The film is being screened at various forums in order to reach the Pakistani diaspora - for instance, during free temporary outdoor cinema screenings being conducted at labour camps across the UAE. Kameshwar Prasad Shah, the senior camp boss at the Al Naboodah Labour camp at Al Ruwaiyah 2, said labourers (about 8,000 men from many different parts of Pakistan) living in the camp may benefit from the chance to learn more about the importance of polio vaccinations. "Although the people in the big cities know about the importance of getting children vaccinated for polio that is not always the case in the rural areas." The film is also being shown before all Etihad Airways flights from Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Karachi during August 2014.

The film can be seen below and on YouTube with English and Arabic subtitles. There is also a Facebook page and a radio public service announcement (PSA).

Immunisation and Vaccines

The UAE and Pakistan have shared a close relationship for many years, and His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Al bin Zayed Al Nahyan has expressed a commitment to supporting polio eradication in Pakistan. To that end, the UAE Pakistan Assistance Program recently launched a vaccination campaign aimed at reaching over 3.5 million children in Pakistan.

Waris Ali, from Gujarat in Pakistan, said: "I know that the vaccination people have visited our village two or three times and most if not all people have had their vaccinations." Reportedly, the film helped him to understand the importance of vaccinations. Mohammed Sohail, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in north-west Pakistan, praised the work done by the UAE Pakistan Assistance Program. "I have three children they have already been vaccinated. But this film is good for people if they don’t know how important the vaccination is they can find out. People at first thought it was just a non-governmental organisation that was doing these things but then religious leaders said it was important to do this so most don't have a problem with it," he said.