ISLAMABAD (November 7): Boy Scouts from all over Pakistan are being deployed in the earthquake affected areas under a new initiative to spread awareness and motivation on health, water and sanitation and child protection.

The Pakistan Boy Scouts Association will deploy 32 Scouts and 2 unit leaders in each of five districts (Bagh, Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Rawalakot and Batagram) for two months, supported by UNICEF. The Scouts will come from all over Pakistan and, after orientations in Islamabad and at base camps in each district, spend 7-10 days in the earthquake affected districts on a rotational basis creating awareness on key messages on health, water and sanitation and child protection.

The Boy Scouts will use hired vehicles provided by UNICEF and loudspeakers to announce key messages and to distribute health education and communication materials produced by UNICEF and other partners. Wall chalking will also be done at appropriate and visible locations. Scout Corners will be set up from where information materials can be distributed and community meetings for raising awareness can be organized. Face-to-face contacts will be an important aspect of the Boy Scouts’ awareness raising and motivation campaign.

The UNICEF-supported initiative is part of an Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Communication Plan for coordinated and integrated key messages and communication activities on health (diarrhoea, ARI malaria, tuberculosis, immunization, nutrition including exclusive and continued breastfeeding), maternal health/safe motherhood, water & sanitation/hygiene, mental health and child protection.

Under the plan, an Emergency Health Education and Communication Center has been set up by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and WHO located in the Health Education Cell, Ministry of Health.

An Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Communication Committee has been formed to plan, coordinate and monitor activities under the Communication Plan. Partners in the Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Communication Committee include ministries of health, social welfare and environment, UNICEF, WHO and other partners.

Health education and programme communication are essential in an emergency situation in order to provide necessary information to caregivers, families and communities on healthy practices that can help to minimise illness and death and the exploitation of children in affected areas.