Grameenphone Uses SMS to Remind People of Polio Vaccination
(4 March, 2007) In a partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), Grameenphone uses SMS alerts to remind subscribers to vaccinate children for polio.
Grameenphone launched the initiative in connection with the 15th National Immunization Days (NIDs) on 4 March and 8 April 2007. It is important to fight the re-emergence of polio in Bangladesh.
SMS alerts to raise awareness
In an effort to raise awareness for the occasion, Grameenphone sent text messages to its subscribers, reminding them to vaccinate all children under the age of five for polio. The initiative was greatly appreciated by the WHO and the Government of Bangladesh. Prior to the NID on 8 April, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) sent a letter to all the telecommunication service providers in the country, urging them to send out SMS alerts to all their subscribers.
Public service announcement in two main newspapers
For the second round of the NID Grameenphone sent out two rounds of text messages, one to inform subscribers that a National Immunization Day was taking place, and another round on April 8 to remind its subscribers to take their children to get vaccinated. Grameenphone further supported its effort by printing a full page public service announcement in two of the dailies with the highest circulation and readership - The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.