Swat FM radio to campaign for polio immunisation

SWAT – A local organisation will air FM radio programmes to promote immunisation against polio and other ailments in three selected union councils of Swat, media reported.

The Awakening is trying to reach residents who had obeyed a ban on vaccinations by local clerics, Dawn reported June 25.

“Some local clerics have banned vaccination on religious grounds,” Erfan Hussain Babak, director of The Awakening, said. “We have formed a delegation of respected scholars to convince them to allow immunisation.”

The radio programmes from Da Aman Awaz (Voice of Peace) radio will start next month, he said.

The organisation has also hired local women to educate mothers in Islampura, Sangota and Kokorai about the benefits of vaccination, he said.

The FM broadcasts are meant to counter-act Taliban propaganda calling vaccinations a Western conspiracy, he said.

During each hour-long programme, questions will be taken from callers and answered by officials, Babak said. “Prevention of disease through vaccination will be the main message we want to send.”