EPI: 50 years on

 The 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) is being celebrated this year during World Immunization Week (April 24–30), honoring the collaborative efforts that have improved countless lives by preventing diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. Yes, a lot has changed since the days when it seemed inevitable that a child would die. However, we haven't yet crossed the finish line. In order to shield every child from illness and impairment, more work must be done.

In Pakistan, using digital media via well-known platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok could be a useful alternative. In October 2022, they were employed by Pakistan's polio eradication program to successfully refute false information that had surfaced due to a post on Facebook purporting to show that a child had passed away from the polio vaccine. The physician who had evaluated the youngster swiftly responded on social media with a video message from the polio social media team, revealing the true cause of death.

More than thirty-six children, primarily females, were engrossed in conversation, laughing, and recording on their phones in a lively setting. Each had a sizable social media following and had received an invitation to an unprecedented in-person gathering to offer their assistance in combating false information regarding vaccines on the internet. The youths promised to use their digital platforms to spread awareness and to use their social media skills for positive purposes.

The exercise, which took place in Lahore last month, aims to mobilize the public to promote vaccinations by using these online influencers or digital volunteers. It is an international network of volunteer social media micro-influencers, led by Unicef, that promotes local children's health. The goal of "influence" is to transform into an online civil society youth movement that goes beyond only creating a network to safeguard children from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.

 Online influencers have a vital role in the eradication of disease. 

We have a chance to commemorate the accomplishment as we approach the global eradication of a human pathogen on the occasion of the EPI's 50th anniversary. Even though Pakistan has reduced the number of children affected by polio since 1988 by 99%, the country is still one of the two where the disease is still prevalent.

Immunization programs encounter several and varied obstacles in this geographically and culturally diverse nation. Even though polio is almost eradicated, immunization campaigns can be quickly sabotaged by the rapid dissemination of false information about vaccines, endangering young people. The safety and effectiveness of vaccinations, as well as the caliber and dependability of immunization services, must be trusted by caregivers and communities in order to ensure a sustained demand for vaccination, according to authorities on vaccines. In order to fulfill the suggested immunization schedule on time, they also require the required knowledge, resources, and drive.

As stated by the head of Unicef Digital Communication, "we track and analyze misinformation instead of viruses in social listening, which is like a disease surveillance system."

Digital influencers, a network with over 77,000 members across 200 countries, are at the forefront of leveraging social media to promote improved health. The goals are to end polio, guarantee more children receive vaccinations, and provide truth and knowledge to communities.

Preventing the spread of erroneous information and monitoring and responding to misconceptions about polio are crucial. As the network expands, every participant plays a crucial role in eliminating false information about health. The goal is to make sure that communities, parents, and caregivers value immunization, believe that vaccines are safe and effective, trust the quality and dependability of the organizations that provide these services, and have the knowledge, abil and drive to get immunized and finish the schedule on time. ity, and drive to get immunized and finish the schedule on time.

No one should fall behind as the globe steps up efforts to increase routine vaccination coverage today. The boundary between vaccine hesitation and ignorance is extremely thin.

In conclusion, fighting vaccination misinformation offers a promising possibility when utilizing the influence of young creators. Through the efficient use of their platform to promote routine immunisation, we may cultivate a greater comprehension and acceptance of vaccines among their extensive viewership. This group effort has the potential to be extremely important in eradicating polio.

The writer working as a journalist.