title: Acute flaccid paralysis surveillance status and community awareness in pastoralist and semi-pastoralist communities of Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is an essential component of the polio eradication strategy. The last laboratory confirmed wild poliovirus in Ethiopia was identified in April 2008. However, the country remains at risk for re-infection because of a number of silent areas and borders with high risk countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assess AFP surveillance status and community perception on AFP/Polio in semi pastoralist and pastoralist areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community and facility based cross-sectional survey was conducted complemented by Focus Group Discussions (FGD) from March - April, 2012. The study populations included District and health center AFP surveillance focal persons, WHO surveillance officers, community and religious leaders and women who delivered in the previous one year in purposively selected districts in Core Group Polio Project Implementation areas of Ethiopia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interviews with health center and district AFP surveillance focal persons revealed deficiencies in training, supervision and feedback. The performance of AFP detection varied in the study districts and knowledge about polio and AFP detection was found to be low in the study communities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to strengthen awareness of communities through targeted information, education and communication (IEC) interventions. Regular need-based training and supportive supervision should be conducted, involving all stakeholders including religious leaders and community leaders at each step of the awareness creation process, case detection and reporting and by giving special emphasis to silent and border districts.
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Kibrom
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Filimona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bisrat
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Mesganaw
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fantahun
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Muluken
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asres
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Legesse
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kidane
authors.affiliation: CCRDA/CORE Group Polio Project Ethiopia, P.O.Box 5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Bezunesh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rogie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance