Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Module

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Module 1: IHR Risk Communication Capacity: Transparency and first announcement of a real or potential risk Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Effective Outbreak Management Early Detection Rapid Response Control Opportunity CASES DAY Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Effective Outbreak Communication Proactive announcement of real or potential risk: - Increases surveillance - Protective behaviours - Reduces confusion - Gather scarce resources CASES DAY Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization First Announcement -- the most important communication Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization • • • Transparency – the case against "The Unknowns" Lack of information will raise anxiety/panic Media will sensationalize information gaps Uninformed "experts" will speculate Say nothing, hope nothing happens Needless economic harm Loss of control Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization • • Transparency -- the case for Rumours will fill information vacuum If media announce: undermines trust Withheld information more frightening Public accept uncertainty and changing risk assessment Encourages protective behaviors/surveillance Describe the situation before others do Emergencies can't be hidden Transparency increases control Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Nuclear accident: Chernobyl, Ukraine April 26 1: 23 am: reactor explosion and fire - Fire and emergency workers not informed of risk April 26 5: 00 am: M Gorbachev is briefed - Kremlin asks for more detailed analysis April 27 14: 00 pm: evacuation of Pripyat - 116, 000 residents told it would be for 3 days April 28: After other countries report radioactivity in atmosphere, USSR acknowledges accident Mid-May: Gorbachev statement Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Nuclear accident: Chernobyl, Ukraine Worst nuclear reactor accident recorded 4000 predicted attributable deaths - emergency workers, evacuees, population 4000 attributable cases of thyroid cancer - mostly children: milk from contaminated cows Ongoing public health crisis across region - Government information not trusted M. Gorbachev: "We were afraid of panic" Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Transparency in practice How do you decide whether or not information should be released publicly? • Will the release of this information: – help the affected community protect itself? – impact an economic sector? – stigmatize a population? – make the Government "look bad"? – introduce potential legal liability? Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Transparency in practice IHR Risk Communication Capacity: Transparency and effective information dissemination 1. 2. 3. Establish a decision making approach for public communication during emergency Enshrine that approach in a guideline, policy or law Ensure it is part of emergency management system through training, exercises, leadership endorsement Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO