Question

• If you were the head of health communication unit at Saudi MOH, how will you improve the health communication strategies used now during COVID-19

• Give suggestions and/or recommendations

Answer 1

In the llight of fear and appehension during covid 19 pandemics,providing right information is the need of the hour. There is lot of false information shared.false information leads to unhealthy adoption of health practices and increase spread of disease .Covid 19 has caused a parallel infodemic.

As head of health communications following can be done

• implementation of measures that promote health awareness
• Mass media is powerful helps in fast and wide information .with the help of mass media
• provide honest , transparent , authentic and useful information topublic
• ensure measures that help people cope with stress
• promote post of public health organisation
• Share personal experiences on social media to combat misinformation.
• acknowledge that information may change as mounting evidences.
• Direct health communication strategies towards vulnerable populations such as elderly and pregnant woman.

Develop educational material and speed the share of evidence-based science to address existing wrong perceptions, correct behaviors, and promote healthy practices.

Importance of citizen engagement in health communication.

Globally, efforts to involve patients and citizens in decision making in the field of health are well established across a range of issues in health care provision and public health .Citizen engagement means nvolvement and participation of individuals, groups and structures within a parameter of a social boundary or a catchment area of a community for decision-making, planning, design,governance and delivery of services.

• Community engagement is central to any public health intervention. Its importance is even more significant during public health emergencies. Community engagement involves those affected in understanding the risks they face, and involves them in response actions that are acceptable.

  Citizen engagement is important to make health and social policies more inclusive and equitable, and to contribute to learning and responsive health and social systems. By engaging citizens, we ensure that their tacit knowledge feeds into the policy-making process.

• Modifying content for different cultures – beyond language translation – can help to enhance understanding and improve health outcomes.

• engaging citizens in health communications will address cultural barriers.

• community network disseminates information effectively

• Communities are always the experts on their own lives and needs and will be better placed to advise on how to engage. Ask them what means ofcommunication they prefer, what available technologies they are comfortablewith, what languages they prefer, what engagement they can ensure andwhat role they can and want to play.

• Communities are resilient and will always find solutions, so work with them to determine how to continue supporting the services that are needed, while keeping everyone safe.

• Listening to community leaders and the community they represent will also help make sure that the interventions and policies we design meet community-specific needs.

• Various community members, actors and networks were involved in the CE. The most commonamong them were community leaders, religious and faith groups, community volunteers and mobilisers, youth groups, and students.

• Training for CE can utilise a variety of mediums including lectures, role-play and exercises, and mainly focused on identification of signs and symptoms of the disease, prevention in the community, social mobilisation and dispelling rumours.