Importance of communication in immunization
As a cross-cutting department within ITSU, strategic communication and media related activities have a very important role to play, both in working closely with Government of India to develop communication strategies, materials, media plans and advisories as also internal teams within JSI.
Globally there is evidence to suggest immunization programs that have performed well have been attributed largely to their effective communication and dissemination. Without well-planned, adequately funded strategic communication, immunization programs fall short of meeting and sustaining coverage goals. Communication is particularly needed to achieve vaccination coverage in hard-to-reach populations and to build trust in vaccines among those who question them.
- Advocacy and targeting messaging
- Impactful social and community mobilization
- Strategic information, education, and communication (IEC) activities
- Responsible media outreach and responding to media queries
- Curtailing disinformation and misinformation
- Promoting initiation of new immunization behaviors and actions
Core functions within Strategic Communication
ITSU’s role in building a communication platform
- Developed communication strategies, communication planning templates and IEC materials for Mission Indradhanush, Intensified Mission Indradhanush, Rotavirus vaccine, Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), Measles-Rubella (MR) campaign and adult diphtheria (Td) vaccine
- Immunization newsletter for MoHFW highlighting progress and achievements of the Immunization programme
- Enhanced media visibility at national and state level via varied coverage on RI, MI and the NVI
- Finalized a Social Media Engagement Plan and activities to be disseminated through partners
- Successfully driving a social media campaign for immunization @vaccinate4life and using social media to amplify key messages and relevant media coverage
- Daily monitoring and tracking of print and online media on immunization and news reports shared with MoHFW.
- Developed SoPs and tools for AEFI media communication, guidelines on crisis communication, responding to crisis situations in RI and around new vaccine introduction and scale up; media monitoring and tracking of crisis arising from AEFI
- Knowledge management and documenting innovative/best practices/success stories on immunization