STOP Program: Frontline defense against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases transcript
Title: STOP Program: Frontline defense against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases
On-screen graphic: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Logo, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On-Screen visual: photograph of polio virus
A.J. Williams speaks: Polio is an infectious disease and it is a vaccine-preventable disease. The disease itself is a lifelong disease, once you have the paralysis it doesn’t go away.
On-Screen text: A.J. Williams, Team Lead, CDC Stop Program, Global Immunization Division, CDC
A.J. Williams speaks: It’s still about delivering the vaccine to the children and not missing any children. You miss one child you haven’t done the job. You have to vaccinate everybody.
On-Screen text: Global Polio Eradication Initiative
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative was started in 1988. The STOP program has been in business since 1998. We’ve been part of the GPEI since that time.
On-Screen text: STOP: Stop Transmission of Polio
STOP actually stands for the Stop Transmission of Polio. We’ve been doing that now for over 20 years.
On-Screen text: STOP Consultants on the Frontlines
“The STOP program helps close immunity gaps against polio, measles, rubella and other vaccine-preventable diseases.” Samuel Abnet, Philippines
On-Screen visual: photographs of STOP consultants in the field.
A.J. Williams speaks: We support many campaigns not just polio; measles, yellow fever, cholera, anything that happens we’re there, we are at the disposal of the countries. So now it’s much more than just polio.
STOP consultants are on the ground and they are trusted by healthcare workers, the ministry of health, the polio program itself, community level informants and leaders and just many, many people.
On-Screen text: STOP Consultants on the Frontlines
“Without STOP it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the country to achieve the effective realization of vaccination.”
Souleymane Traore, DRC
On-Screen visual: photographs of STOP consultants in the field in Africa.
A.J. Williams speaks: Most of our workforce is from the African continent and that’s where we are 80 percent heavy with our deployments. There’s a life expectancy issue. There’s a quality of life issue. And I really believe what they want to do is the best that they can to support their children.
On-Screen text: STOP Consultants on the Frontlines
“Since 2018 I’ve participated in 20 campaigns against polio in more than 10 provinces in DRC. I support provincial health coordination to plan and successfully implement immunization activities.”
Robert Kabore Souka, DRC
A.J. Williams speaks: CDC’s funding, recruitment, training, deployment and operational support of STOP team members is critical.
On-Screen visual: photographs of STOP consultants in the field.
A.J. Williams continues: The STOP program has been instrumental not only in polio eradication but supporting countries with immunizations as a whole. People know the STOP program is an excellent model of how to work with other agencies like WHO and UNICEF. We’re able to put people out there on the ground for a long term. This last year really proved it because when a lot of people went home when COVID hit, we did not. They didn’t leave, they kept working.
On-Screen text: STOP Consultants on the Frontlines
“The pandemic changed the dynamics of the work. As a STOP consultant, I had to learn how to juggle my efforts to ensure vaccine-preventable diseases were given the priority they deserve.” Yankuba Singhateh, Philippines
A.J. Williams speaks: The ultimate goal of the STOP program is to rid the world of polio.
On-Screen visual: A.J. Williams
Once polio is done, what’s the next big thing? Could be anything, it could be measles, could be yellow fever
On-Screen visual: photographs of kids getting vaccinated
Or it could be simply let’s make sure that routine immunization is working in every country so that kids get every vaccine that they need and that they have a chance to have a life.
On-Screen text: STOP Consultants on the Frontlines
“Anyone who cares and believes in polio eradication and improving the health of communities in the world should definitely care about the STOP program.”
Delayo Zomahoun, Guinea
On-screen text: CDC.gov/globalhealth/immunization/stop
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