Supporting child health in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the few countries in the world where polio still exists.

Yet eradication of the highly contagious disease, which attacks the nervous system and causes paralysis, is in sight. BBC Media Action is harnessing the power of local and national radio to help end polio and combat other childhood diseases.

Ghamai (meaning ‘jewel’ in Pashto) is a weekly radio show featuring drama, special reports and interviews with health experts to help give families in Afghanistan information to keep their families happy and healthy.

The programme, broadcast on the BBC World Service and local radio stations, covers a range of topics each week including vaccinations, nutrition and breastfeeding.

After listening to one episode, Zarbibi, a mother from Afghanistan’s Farah province told us “I didn’t know anything about breastfeeding but after listening to your programme, I now know the benefits for my children.”

Dr Noorulhaq Yousafzai, head of Indira Ghandi Children’s Hospital in Kabul, answers questions from listeners on a weekly basis. “In rural areas, access to health professionals is limited and for cultural reasons some women in Afghanistan can’t leave their house” says the show’s presenter. “Radio helps bring doctors into people’s homes.”

Sadiqa, a housewife from Ghazni province called in for health advice, after gaining permission from her brother to use his phone. “I have a sore throat but my family won’t let me go to the doctor…when I heard your programme I became hopeful that I would receive…information about treatment.”

To ensure the health and vaccination information is relevant locally, we also provide editorial training and mentoring to local radio partners in target areas to support them to produce health-related radio content.

Laila, a 20 year-old producer and presenter from Radio Nargis, an all-women-run-radio station in eastern Afghanistan, told us, “BBC Media Action training helped me produce four programmes to help [women] prevent polio, malnutrition and diarrhoea.” She hopes to make many more.

We are also advised on scenes tackling child health issues in the popular long-running radio drama, New Home, New Life, produced by our partner, the Afghan Education Production Organisation (AEPO).

Project information