enkay30
Mar 24, 2021
Scholarship / What aspect of your leadership you consider to be effective, how you solve problems in organisation? [2]
Hi guys,
Can I have some insight on this answer I've written? I'd like to know what could be done to make it better or if it is fine the way it is. I cant increase the word count at all so the word limit can only decrease. :(
(Be specific and include: what aspect/s of your leadership knowledge, skills and practice you consider to be well established and effective; which people or organisations you worked with to solve the problem; and what creative methods were used.)*:
While Africa was declared Polio free in August 2020, Pakistan remains one of the two countries where the virus remains endemic.
As Assistant Commissioner, I led the WHO's Anti Polio campaign in Ferozabad, from 2014 to 2016. Various factors impeding our vaccination drive included gaps in vaccination campaigns, chronic refusals and conspiracy theories. Furthermore, the area comprised of a large Pushtun population who are particularly conservative and difficult to access. To overcome this roadblock, I engaged with the local Pashtun community and religious leaders to join the fight against polio.
At the onset, discussions were held with religious leaders to understand their concerns. During this process, key leaders were identified who could be involved in the program as supporters of the vaccination drive. Following further deliberations, they were sensitized by medical professionals, who clarified their doubts and misconceptions about Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) e.g. that the vaccines were a Western agenda to systematically reduce and sterilse the Muslim population and that the vaccine was formulated with religiously offensive content. Onceon board, endorsements of polio vaccination by local religious leaders were made public through banners and pamphlets to reach out to everyone. Furthermore, they became local influencers in the vaccination campaign by addressing the community through the congregational Friday prayers. Mosque announcements prior to the start of campaign were made conveying the date, day, and time of the polio vaccination. They were also trained to answer questions about the OPV and counter the prevalent misconceptions associated with the vaccine.
These initiatives allowed me to foster an environment of trust among the local religious leaders which led to a marked change in the attitude of the Pusthun community towards the Polio vaccine. With sustained efforts, we were able to overturn 3000 chronic refusals and meet our WHO targets.
Hi guys,
Can I have some insight on this answer I've written? I'd like to know what could be done to make it better or if it is fine the way it is. I cant increase the word count at all so the word limit can only decrease. :(
How have you contributed to solving a challenge and to implementing change or reform?
(Be specific and include: what aspect/s of your leadership knowledge, skills and practice you consider to be well established and effective; which people or organisations you worked with to solve the problem; and what creative methods were used.)*:
While Africa was declared Polio free in August 2020, Pakistan remains one of the two countries where the virus remains endemic.
As Assistant Commissioner, I led the WHO's Anti Polio campaign in Ferozabad, from 2014 to 2016. Various factors impeding our vaccination drive included gaps in vaccination campaigns, chronic refusals and conspiracy theories. Furthermore, the area comprised of a large Pushtun population who are particularly conservative and difficult to access. To overcome this roadblock, I engaged with the local Pashtun community and religious leaders to join the fight against polio.
At the onset, discussions were held with religious leaders to understand their concerns. During this process, key leaders were identified who could be involved in the program as supporters of the vaccination drive. Following further deliberations, they were sensitized by medical professionals, who clarified their doubts and misconceptions about Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) e.g. that the vaccines were a Western agenda to systematically reduce and sterilse the Muslim population and that the vaccine was formulated with religiously offensive content. Onceon board, endorsements of polio vaccination by local religious leaders were made public through banners and pamphlets to reach out to everyone. Furthermore, they became local influencers in the vaccination campaign by addressing the community through the congregational Friday prayers. Mosque announcements prior to the start of campaign were made conveying the date, day, and time of the polio vaccination. They were also trained to answer questions about the OPV and counter the prevalent misconceptions associated with the vaccine.
These initiatives allowed me to foster an environment of trust among the local religious leaders which led to a marked change in the attitude of the Pusthun community towards the Polio vaccine. With sustained efforts, we were able to overturn 3000 chronic refusals and meet our WHO targets.
