Community Leaders, Women Help Curb Polio in West Bengal

This article describes the successful social mobilisation efforts of West Bengal's polio eradication programme. In order to address concerns in the predominantly Muslim communities of Murshidabad district that the polio vaccine is not halal (or 'permissible under Islam'), the programme strategy has relied on advocacy from community and religious leaders in order to gain access to these areas.

The Indian state experienced an outbreak of 49 polio cases in 2002, which led to an intensification of polio vaccination efforts in 2003 onwards. Despite the high threat of the virus, polio workers encountered severe resistance from citizens at vaccination booths. The programme responded by enlisting support of religious leaders such as Madrassahs, Qazis and seminary heads, in order to augment the ongoing community meetings and outreach activities that aimed to raise polio awareness. These leaders have incorporated positive polio vaccination appeals into regular prayer schedules to reach the Muslim community. This strategy has been regarded as successful, as the four vaccination rounds held in 2007 witnessed a dramatic increase in voluntary attendance to 80% at immunisation booths.