Highlighting awareness: Journalists urged to play role in polio eradication

At least 22 cases, including 14 from Pakistan, have been confirmed this year

PESHAWAR: Given the perpetual presence of poliovirus on the Pak-Afghan border, a session to highlight the issue was held for media personnel.

The programme was arranged by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Speakers urged participants to build awareness regarding the threat of poliovirus for future generations.

Speakers said the virus had been completely eradicated from the rest of the world but repeatedly showed its presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly on the border between the two countries. They added the disease needed to be eliminated from the region by the end of 2016.

Speakers said all those involved in polio eradication from both countries were making all-out efforts but since media personnel had a large audience and readership, they needed to play a part in eliminating the virus and spreading awareness about vaccinating children. One of the speakers said the world was investing a large amount of money and time to eradicate the virus and journalists must assist them in the process as well.

The speakers also said there were certain areas where newspapers and television news channels were inaccessible and the only way to disseminate information was radio transmission.

Dramatist Noorul Bashar Naveed, who has been writing dramas for radio to spread messages about the need for vaccinations and against fighting the virus, said the media could change the perception of public.

“This is one of the best tools to create awareness among people,” he told journalists.

Others also stressed on the importance of news, saying the stories of people who had fallen victims and had been infected need to be told so their problems can teach people the significance of vaccinations.

They said journalists should highlight the number of children who have been vaccinated against the virus in different campaigns but must also focus on the ones who were missed so steps could be taken to ensure they did not spread the disease.

A total of 22 cases—14 from Pakistan and eight from Afghanistan—have been confirmed this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2016.