Communication in micro-planning

Challenges faced by Pakistan 6 years of centre-based approach–different

micro-panning challenges Year 2000 house-to-house posed new

challenges for micro-planning

Pakistan 140 million population Target of children under 5 not known at village, ward level Large geographical area

Communication in micro-planning

Challenges faced by Pakistan…(cont.) Ranging from highest mountains to deserts

to valleys and thousands of miles of beaches Unmarked borders in many areas Borders going through villages Cross border un-checked travel Large number of nomads travelling in and out of country Several mega cities with population ranging

from 7 – 12 million High rise buildings with no/ poorly working

lifts

Communication in micro-planning

Challenges faced by Pakistan…(cont.)

Large areas of slums in urban areas Unplanned cities Sparse/ scattered population in some

parts of the country

Other challenges for communication in micro-planning:

Not enough time for micro-planning & communication of plans (less than two

months)

Communication in micro-planning

Challenges faced by Pakistan…(cont.)

Little existing knowledge & experience of micro-planning at grass root level

No training in preparing micro-plans

No training / experience of using assigned area maps - polio team leaders

Maps prepared by some one else (vaccinators/ supervisors)

Communication in micro-planning

Challenges faced by Pakistan…(cont.) Polio teams receiving monetary

compensation for three days of campaign – some coming on board on 1st. day of campaign

Number of teams limited due to monetary implications

Targets of children to be reached as per micro-plans creating a tendency to focus on numbers instead of ALL children

Communication / training responses for

addressing micro-planning issuesFall Campaign 2000

UAN facility at 54 locations – for reporting if teams do not reach an area

Publicity for UAN number through TV/ Radio/ newspapers & print material

Special guidelines prepared & disseminated for UAN monitoring teams

Communication / training responses for

addressing micro-planning issuesFall Campaign 2000 …. (cont.)

Mosque announcement flyers for informing parents about campaign & teams arrival in the area

Special cloth signs for identification of fixed sites where parents could take children if missed by a team

75,000 special jackets for team leaders – for easy identification

Communication / training responses for

addressing micro-planning issuesFall Campaign 2000 …. (cont.)

Alliance building meetings with NGOs , for using UAN facility so teams reach each area & support to polio teams

Special live transmission on PTV, Radio Pakistan and FM 100 – (key messages – keep children at home for teams/ inform on UAN if teams don’t come & go to fixed site if children missed)

Special plans for border areas & check posts

Communication / training responses for

addressing micro-planning issuesFall Campaign 2000 …. (cont.)

Training plan & special material for 75,000 team leaders & several thousand supervisors

Special emphasis in training on covering entire assigned area – every child - especially slums, nomads in area & children in brick kilns

Motivation for making efforts to reach every child – as a moral / national duty

Communication / training responses for

addressing micro-planning issuesFall Campaign 2000 …. (cont.)

Telecast of training video on national TV for several days for reaching missed teams members, communities & families

Monitoring reports of fall campaign 2000

identified following situation …

Awareness high amongst parents – but in many areas the teams did not reach

Fixed sites were too far, un-known and un-identified so many parents did not know where to take their missed children for immunization

Monitoring reports of fall campaign 2000

identified following situation … (cont.)

3 day transmissions found very useful for informing parents

UAN worked well (except some minor problems)

Most team leaders were not trained

Area maps were not available to many teams

Jackets received but many didn’t wear it

Monitoring reports of fall campaign 2000

identified following situation … (cont.)

Fixed sites cloth signs received but not displayed

In many areas posters not displayed/ material not distributed

Majority mosques neither approached nor announcement made

Analysis reveals possible causes …

Lack of training created confusion about

team responsibility in terms of area to be covered communication processes & motivation messages for parents role of fixed sites for covering missed

children use of tallying sheet for recording missed children

Analysis reveals possible causes … (cont.)

Pre-campaign communication activities couldn’t take place as team leaders were only active on campaign days (3 paid working days)

• Inadequate understanding of responsibility for supervision & accountability in terms of training, communication and coverage

Revised strategy for spring campaign 2001

Orientation of 45,000 LHWs on Programme Implementation and Communication

Orientation of 390,000 boy scouts on mosque mobilization and communication

Printing of training booklet, posters, mosque flyers, partners brochure

Revised strategy for spring campaign 2001 …. (cont.)

3 day live TV, Radio and FM 100 transmission

Briefing meetings for NGOs

Regular media campaign, district social mobilization funds made available and UAN facility at 54 locations

Communication in Micro-planning Recommendations

Adequate planning time for revisiting/ fine tuning & communicating micro-plans before each campaign

Inclusion of social mobilization & communication processes/ dissemination in micro-plans

Communication in Micro-planning Recommendations …. (cont.)

Training/ re-training to all levels on micro-planning, preparations of maps & interpretation

Participation of all team leaders in micro-planning & preparation of maps

No untrained person to be allowed on polio teams/centers

Communication in Micro-planning Recommendations …. (cont.)

Accountability/Recognition for micro-planning

Micro-plans to include coverage of special populations like Nomads, Refugees, Beggars etc.

Put an end to the “numbers game”

Development & implementation of effective monitoring plan to ensure adherence to micro-plans

Communication in Micro-planning Recommendations …. (cont.)

• Don’t expect communication & social mobilization to overcome shortfalls in effective micro-planning/ supervision/ monitoring