In a major step to strengthen community awareness and youth engagement in public health, Provincial Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (EOC) in collaboration with UNICEF launched a school-based initiative aimed at empowering students as Immunization Ambassadors for polio eradication.
Under the initiative, students from selected schools in Peshawar will be engaged and equipped with right tools to enable them to serve as Immunization Ambassadors who will promote awareness, dispel myths, and support vaccination advocacy within their communities.
The first event under this initiative was organized here on Wednesday, at Government Higher Secondary School No. 4, Kakshal, Peshawar City.
The event was attended by Additional Secretary Health/Coordinator Emergency Operations Centre Shafiullah Khan, Technical Focal Person PEI EOC KP Dr. Ali Haidar, Dr. Sardar Alam, Provincial Polio Eradication Officer WHO, Diana Maria Pirga, Social & Behavior Change (Digital) Specialist UNICEF, Sadia Ijaz, Social & Behavior Change Specialist UNICEF KP, Shadab Younas, Communication Officer UNICEF KP, Principal and faculty members of the school as well as a large number of students.
Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary Health/ Coordinator EOC Shafiullah Khan thanked school administration, faculty and students for their time and support for the national cause of polio eradication saying that students are powerful messengers and can help us in addressing community misconceptions.
Shafiullah Khan said that youth engagement, particularly through schools, presents a powerful opportunity to strengthen awareness and build long-term community trust adding that school students not only absorb critical health messages but also serve as influential advocates within their families and neighborhoods.
Engaging students in polio advocacy will help reinforce accurate information about vaccination and foster ownership of the polio eradication effort within communities, he said.
Communication Officer UNICEF, Ms. Shadab Younas elaborated that as part of the initiative, students will receive information materials and advocacy tools enabling them to promote positive health behaviors in their schools, homes and neighborhood.
She said that all participating students will be enrolled as members of Immunization Club, while top performers will receive recognition certificates from Provincial EOC, an oversight and management body for polio eradication in the province.
This programme aims to address key challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and limited community ownership,identified as major barriers to polio eradication in Pakistan.
She said that through youth engagement, the initiative seeks to build long-term trust and strengthen community support for essential immunization.
Earlier in the session, a lively theatre performance was staged through known actors, using storytelling, human angle in a light and entertaining manner to help students understand the significance of essential immunization,especially polio vaccination.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from provincial EOC, school administration and with a pledge from the students for change and to help ensure community embraces polio vaccination.