While working in the Textile Industry in Pakistan as a Human Resource and Administration Manager, perhaps this was one of the acid test for me when we had to immunize the workers against “Hepatitis B”. As our country is in the grip of population explosion, a rumor was spread that we are injecting people with some kind of a medicine to diminish their libido.
I was shocked on the first day as the head of the team walked into my office, totally flabbergasted that they wanted to leave immediately. I calmed him down and called my Security Officer about this matter. I was reported that some workers had beaten up a few members of this anti-hepatitis team and had ordered them to leave the mill premises threatening dire consequences. The workers had become a mob and had threatened to close the factory. The mob was successfully controlled by the security personnel.
Further investigations exposed a very strange story.
Pakistan is a highly populous country with a chauvinistic male dominated society. The government is doing its best to control the population through its “Family Planning” program.
A rumor had been spread in the mill that the screening tests are in fact a gimmick for male-sterilization! This appeared to be an anti-thesis to the male dominated culture. The majority of our workers are uneducated coming from backward rural areas.
It was not difficult to trace back the rumor-monger; but now the problem was how to explain, that the screening and vaccination had nothing to do with sexual issues.
Immediately a team was formed to discuss the problem with the Resident Director. I suggested the following:
a. A talk or a presentation to be given by the Anti-Hepatitis team to all workers. The team was to explain every aspect of the disease, with an emphasis that it had nothing to do with the sexual prowess of the person being subjected to screening.
b. A personal example by our executive staff of getting screened (getting injection) in front of the workers.
c. The teams were to clarify all sorts of queries raised by the workers.
d. The person who spread the rumor was to sit with the members of the team.
e. As a matter of policy to enroll educated persons.
f. To our surprise, the screening went smoothly… The person who spread the rumor was never reprimanded or dismissed. Later on he was nicknamed as “Doctor” by his colleagues and now he is my best source to find the problems of the workers and also assists in the rectification of the same.
Now we have never had any problem on the vaccination issues.
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