Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Module

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Module 4: IHR Risk Communication Capacity: Listening through Dialogue Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization Risk Communication in Practice World Health Organization Old Model: New Model: One-way communication to inform Two-way communications to dialogue Old Objective: Warn of risk New Objective: Partnership to co- manage risk Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Anthrax: United States 2001 • Deliberate spread through postal system – 22 victims, 5 deaths. • Saturday USCDC identifies new risk: letter processing machines could aerosolize anthrax spores • Recommendation: antiobiotics for anyone working near machines • Ciproflaxin originally recommended, but doxycycline found to be effective, available and cheaper Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization • • • Anthrax: United States 2001 What Happened? Message factually accurate, complete Postal workers reacted angrily Politicians and media celebrities had received Cipro (brand name) Allegation of favouritism (even racism) Direct impact: delayed risk prevention Indirect impact: eroded broader trust in CDC Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Marburg: Angola 2005 • April to July: 300 deaths • GOARN deployment • Local suspicion of response teams • Rejection of infection control recommendations • Isolated violence Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Marburg: Angola 2005 • White associated with the supernatural (PPE) • Covered faces of medical workers raised suspicion • Villagers prevented from following local burial traditions • Those taken into isolation were never seen again • Local communication channels and trusted leaders deployed Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Listening: Factors to Consider Perceptions Beliefs Family and society Sources of information Socio-economic status Politics Culture Education Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO

Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization Listening through Dialogue IHR Risk Communication Capacity: Listening through Dialogue 1. Gather and assess existing community cultural, language and socio-economic profiles 2. Adopt listening/dialogue templates and tools for use in emergencies 3. Ensure an efficient information gathering system is in place and plan to reflect its findings into decision making processes Pandemic and Outbreak Communication PAHO/WHO