News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Balochistan and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) organized a one-day workshop here on Tuesday to highlight the role of social media in curbing disinformation regarding anti-polio campaigns in Pakistan.
Social media activists, journalists and experts attended the workshop and highlighted the vital role of social media in countering false information regarding the polio vaccine and anti-polio campaigns in the country.
Addressing the one-day workshop, Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Syed Zahid Shah stressed the role of social media to counter the disinformation about anti-polio vaccine drives and campaigns in the country.
He underscored that social media has become a speedy and vibrant tool to spread information and news worldwide adding that we all need to sensitize citizens regarding the verification of news and rumors circulating on social media.
He further said that ironically, there were many pessimistic hearsays and dis-information about the polio vaccine in Pakistan which has been a threat and discouraging the efforts to eradicate the polio virus from Pakistan.
Social Media users need to counter misinformation about Polio Vaccines
He urged the journalist community running social media pages should come forward to counter negative propaganda against polio vaccine.
On the occasion, former President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Shahzada Zulfiqar urged the youth of the country to avoid becoming part of misinformation related to polio vaccine.
He further said that the journalist community, particularly the young masses running social media groups have to play an active and crucial role to inform the public regarding the importance of anti-polio drops.
Recently, the government of Balochistan initiated a week-long anti-polio drive to administer anti-polio drops to about 2.5 million children under the age of five in the province.
