Polio Pulse

Polio Pulse provides social listening insights to support GPEI’s polio interventions on disinformation, crisis communication, and strategic communication. Data is monitored from polio-endemic and outbreak countries and geographies classified by GPEI, covering 12 major languages spoken in these regions. The platform is managed by the UNICEF Digital Community Engagement (DCE) team.

Low Risk

Conspiracy theories circulate as Pakistan reports poliovirus in wastewater

Geography
Pakistan
Themes
Conspiracy theories
Safety and side effects

Analysis

Pakistan reported positive wastewater samples from 18 districts, along with its eighth polio case this year. Some social media users responded to the news by calling the polio vaccine “poison” and claiming that polio vaccination campaigns are a “big conspiracy” to leave the population barren.

Recommendations

Although these claims received little attention, they are examples of how some people believe polio vaccines are a threat to their population. Communicators may continue to explain that polio vaccines are well tested and have been used safely for generations.