Immunization

Engaging communities

GOAL: To encourage governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to support immunization services; motivate and mobilize the public to participate in immunization activities.

The Challenge

Two vital steps in all immunization programmes, whether routine or supplemental initiative, are garnering support from community leaders and educating parents about the role of vaccination. If decision makers and community leaders, such as influential religious figures or traditional healers, are not behind immunization efforts they may fail. Likewise, if community members and local media are not fully informed about the role of vaccination in preventing killer diseases, misinformation or rumors may circulate that could jeopardize campaign.

The Solution

UNICEF works to gain and maintain support for immunization from a broad range of groups, from governments and local leaders to companies in the private sector. Religious leaders and traditional healers are important partners because they can often help reach reluctant or marginalized members in a community. Priests, pastors or imams can convey information in sermons or prayers. Traditional healers may be the first people that parents consult if they have concerns about immunization and therefore can be influential in maintaining participation.

UNICEF works with governments and other partners to convey essential information about the life-saving importance of immunization in general and details about specific campaigns. All possible means of communication are used: radio, television, newspapers, magazines and traditional entertainment such as plays or music.

Health workers are often the parents’ primary source for immunization information and can determine whether they come back for future vaccinations. Such health personnel often work under considerable duress and may have hundreds of children to vaccinate within short periods of time. UNICEF encourages health workers to maintain a child-friendly approach: treat all parents or caregivers with respect, explain the purpose of the vaccination and relay information about when they must return for the following immunization.

Occasionally rumours arise such as a link between immunization and family planning or that vaccination could cause HIV/AIDS. While these rumours are groundless, when they spread, they can severely damage immunization efforts. UNICEF helps to dispel such damaging misinformation by providing communities with accurate, transparent information. UNICEF works with the ministries of health, local government, the media, non-governmental organizations and all partners to reassure the community that vaccines are safe and essential for the health of their children.