India Communication Review Phase 1 - 2008: Recommendation Tracking Sheet

The 2008 polio communication review process in India is being carried out in 2 phases. In the first phase, conducted between June and August in 2008, five teams of two consultants were each assigned to one of 6 sub-regions in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. These 10 external communication professionals represented a variety of backgrounds in development communication, including behavioural science, social marketing, sociology, media, and academia. These professionals were drawn from a number of public and private sector institutions, including universities, public health departments, advertising agencies, and individual consultants.

The total duration of Phase 1 was 14 days, including entry briefings, meetings with government officials and polio partners, field visit to villages and urban areas, and final debriefing meetings. The process was designed to be highly participatory, with teams encouraged to arrive - together with sub-regional teams of polio partners and government officials - at a shared analysis of the problems and to facilitate an agreed-upon set of recommendations to be implemented in a 3- to 4-month period, with identified milestones. During the review, the teams visited 50 villages and urban areas of 11 districts in the two states. Consultants used various qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, one-on-one meetings, etc. to examine the issues.

There was consensus from both the review teams and field staff that the process was helpful in looking at "familiar" issues from a fresh perspective, and, generally, there was a consensus on the recommendations. Following the review teams' departure, a follow-up meeting was held with the sub-regional teams to finalise agreement around the teams' recommendations, and to ascertain accountabilities for their implementation. These final recommendations are outlined in the attached Excel spreadsheet, by sub-region.

Action is now being taken in response to the 35 recommendations agreed upon by the sub-regional teams. Eight additional recommendations have been agreed upon at the Lucknow/Patna level, and 2 recommendations are to be implemented at the national level.

In Phase 2, one person from each of the original 5 teams will revisit the same sub-region to review progress against the agreed-upon recommendations. This shorter visit, of approximately one week, will include a field visit, engagement with government and partners, and a shared analysis of the rate of progress and viability/usefulness of the recommendation in improving children's access to polio immunisation. The second phase is scheduled for early December 2008.

Click here to download the Phase 1 recommendation Tracking Sheet as an Excel document (This Excel spreadsheet tracks the recommendations and will be utilised for Phase 2 of the review).