Interview with Anand Balachandran

This interview with Anand Balachandran, advocacy officer at the World Health Organization, was conducted by Paul Engleman in May for a Global Outlook article on the role of advocacy in the polio eradication effort. Read the full article here.

Global Outlook: What is your role at the WHO?

Anand Balachandran: My role entails developing appropriate advocacy strategies that can be implemented by spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative using their relative strengths. These advocacy strategies are aimed at enhancing political commitment in polio-affected countries, maintaining polio eradication on the global agenda, and ensuring that the donor countries continue to provide financial support to achieve this global public good.

GO: How do you interact with Rotary?

AB: I work very closely with the manager and advocacy specialist of PolioPlus and seek their guidance and support for identifying specific opportunities where Rotarians can assist in advocacy. I then provide support for implementing advocacy strategies through all the [PolioPlus] national advocacy advisers, national PolioPlus committee chairs in various countries, and some senior Rotary leaders, including the RI president, former president, Rotary Foundation chair, and the advocacy task force chair. I also have addressed Rotarians in district conferences, and I work closely with Rotary’s national advocacy advisers before high-level partner meetings with senior government officials.

GO: What do you think is important for Rotarians to know about the advocacy work being done by Rotary?

AB: To achieve any major public health victory, we require adequate funding, the appropriate scientific tools (vaccines) and strategies, and political commitment. I consider advocacy as the vital third pillar. In the remaining polio-endemic countries, it is critical that the governments at the very highest levels are fully committed to polio eradication. They must be willing to use the entire government apparatus to conduct successful polio eradication activities and reach and vaccinate every child. Advocacy by senior Rotary leaders with heads of state, by Rotarians in polio-affected countries, by Rotarians with access to major multilateral organizations, and by senior Rotarians with leaders in donor countries has been invaluable to ensure that there is political commitment for polio eradication. Advocacy efforts by Rotarians have often helped open the doors for meetings by the spearheading partners with senior ministers and government officials. Rotary's assistance was critical to getting polio eradication on the agenda of the G8 summit in 2002 and in every G8 summit since. Furthermore, Rotary's advocacy efforts with the U.S. government, and the leading members of the U.S. Senate and Congress, have been the key to maintaining U.S. support for global polio eradication efforts.

GO: What is the biggest challenge you face in getting the attention of governments to support the polio eradication effort?

AB: In many of the polio-affected countries, there are numerous competing interests for the government, and health often receives a low priority. In this environment, ensuring that the governments take even one single case of polio as a major risk that could threaten the entire global eradication effort is a challenge. Rotary has been superb in supporting the governments and helping them make the right decisions.

GO: How important is Rotary to the polio eradication effort?

AB: Rotary is generally called the conscience of polio eradication. Without Rotary’s original vision of a polio-free world, and its longstanding leadership and support, the global incidence of polio could not have been reduced by more than 99 percent since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. Rotary's extraordinary funding support, its millions of volunteers, and its advocacy with the leaders of governments have all been instrumental in the success of this global effort, the world's largest public health initiative.

GO: Are there any people in Rotary you would like to single out for their efforts, people who have been especially helpful or inspiring to you?

AB: Rotarians all over the world have been very helpful and have assisted me in implementing numerous advocacy activities. The PolioPlus manager and advocacy specialist have been truly remarkable in the level of support and guidance that they have provided. I have been truly inspired by the dedication of past International PolioPlus Committee Chair Bill Sergeant. Senior Rotary leaders like [IPPC] Chair Bob Scott and Past RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar have also greatly assisted me in my efforts. I would also like to highlight the strong support received from Past RI President Jim Lacy, particularly for his close and ongoing engagement with the leaders in the U.S. Congress. I also have been inspired by all Rotary national advocacy advisers who continue to play a critical role in ensuring the strong support of donor countries, and PolioPlus chairs in Africa and Asia for always seizing opportunities to enhance government commitment to polio eradication, even at very short notice.

GO: Are the remaining obstacles to the polio eradication effort primarily economic or political?

AB: For the program to succeed, we need both funding and political commitment. For us to conduct intensified and high-quality polio eradication activities, we need to ensure that the current funding gaps are quickly filled and that government leaders provide direct oversight and closely monitor the implementation of the activities that reach and vaccinate every child.

GO: When you speak to government officials, what is their reaction to Rotary International?

AB: Governments all over the world are aware of Rotary International and its humanitarian efforts. Rotary's remarkable efforts have and will benefit all of humankind. In many countries, Rotarians themselves occupy key positions in governments. Advocacy efforts by Rotarians help to further develop relations with governments and enhance Rotary's image and prestige all over the world.

Visit a GO Web extra from an interview with International PolioPlus Committee Chair Bob Scott.