1 |1 | COUNTRY OFFICE FOR Viet Nam Outbreak Communications Shelaye Boothey WHO Communications Officer GOARN – Melbourne.

1 | COUNTRY OFFICE FOR Viet Nam

Outbreak CommunicationsOutbreak Communications

Shelaye Boothey

WHO Communications Officer

GOARN – Melbourne


WHO are we?WHO are we?

WHO acts as the health conscience for the globe.

Our role is to act as a catalyst and advocate for action on health issues.

Our purpose is to lead the response to public health issues on all fronts - medical, technical, socio-economic, cultural, legal and political.


Our world is changing as never beforeOur world is changing as never before

Populations grow, age, and move

Diseases travel fast

Microbes adapt

Chemical, radiation, food risks increase

Health security is at stake


“We have had great success in the last five years in controlling outbreaks, but we have only recently come to understand that communications are as critical to outbreak control as laboratory analyses or epidemiology”

Dr Jong-wook Lee, WHO Director General 2004


Outbreak communications - A vital tool


WHAT IS GOING ON??WHAT IS GOING ON??

PANIC

CONFUSION

FEAR


Effective Outbreak Communication can…Effective Outbreak Communication can…

reduce illness and save lives

reduce economic impact

limit political instability


Communications challenges Communications challenges

During an outbreak there will be:

extreme pressure on the Government to provide accurate and timely information;

a surge in media attention – both nationally and internationally

information voids which if not filled by official sources are often filled by non-official, misinformed and potentially damaging sources;

communication systems subjected to severe stress and testing;

communication breakdowns;

bad decisions resulting from poor communications and information; and

unexpected events!


Outbreak Communications PrinciplesOutbreak Communications Principles

Trust is the goal – each communication builds or erodes trust.

Transparency is the tool.

Announce early – control rumor and misinformation.

Listen to the public and respond

Plan – your communication for the extreme demand of an outbreak.

TAKE ACTION


TrustTrust

"The over-arching communication goal during an outbreak is to communicate with the public in ways that build, maintain or restore

trust".

WHO Outbreak Communication Guidelines


Why YOU need to careWhy YOU need to care

EVERY SINGLE

public health intervention

during an outbreak will

SUCCEED OR FAIL

based on the way you

COMMUNICATE .


ExamplesExamples

Rapid Containment – if your population does not understand its importance - it will FAIL

Antiviral strategy – if your population rejects it because it is not understood - it will FAIL

Social distancing – if it is not understood won’t be implemented and – it will FAIL

Hand hygiene – importance not understood and inappropriate language – no one will follow – it will FAIL


What is effective communications?What is effective communications?

NOT just a press release or poster

NOT just public relations

Whole of society approach


WHO working with MOHWHO working with MOH

Achieving results:

Train Preventative Medicine staff in outbreak investigation and response

Infection Control

Zoonotic disease surveillance and response

Improving laboratory procedures for quality testing and investigation

Risk Communication


MoH action/WHO supportMoH action/WHO support

Outbreak Communications Plan

Protocols for clearance and quick release of information to media and public

Advice on best messages for public

Training for MoH spokespeople and technical staff

Training more editors and journalists about pandemics and infectious disease


Why media matters!Why media matters!

Using mass media to communicate is the MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION TOOL in an outbreak.

Other channels of communications are important

In an outbreak situation even those who do not regularly access any media will turn to traditional media sources for information.

Information to media should be – TIMELY AND TRANSPARENT

Communicating effectively with the media will protect the public’s health and

SAVE LIVES!!!!


Working with the media


What is a JOURNALIS

T?

What is a JOURNALIS

T?


WHAT IS A JOURNALIST? WHAT IS A JOURNALIST?

• Like you and me

• Harassed

• Just trying to get through the day

• Hoping to please the boss


• More respectful

• Not so aggressive

•State run media allows greater control

Vietnamese journalists

ASIAN VS EUROPEAN/AMERICANASIAN VS EUROPEAN/AMERICAN


• More direct

• Possibly more mature/confident/informed

• More difficult

International media

ASIAN VS EUROPEAN/AMERICANASIAN VS EUROPEAN/AMERICAN


MEETING THE PRESS: AN OPPORTUNITY – NOT A VISIT TO THE DENTIST’S

MEETING THE PRESS: AN OPPORTUNITY – NOT A VISIT TO THE DENTIST’S

• Don’t waste the chance

• Inform the public

• Promote your organization’s work

• Generate key messages

• BUT BE PREPARED!


• What is the line of questioning?

• Who are the journalists? Local or overseas?

•Any of them have a reputation as hostile

to your organization ?

•Are they informed?

PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS


• Do you have a reason to talk?

• Do you have a message?

• Have you done your homework?

GENERAL TIPS GENERAL TIPS


DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE? DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE?

• What is your ideal headline?

• 3 or 4 key statements for the message

• A few “hot words” that will get noticed

• No jargon or acronyms


BACK TO BASICS BACK TO BASICS

• After last question, come back to your key messages

• Write the headline again

• Ask if anything unclear


DO’S AND DON’TS IN AN INTERVIEW DO’S AND DON’TS IN AN INTERVIEW

Do

•Use short sentences. Prepare catchy expressions

•Use everyday language

•Use positive terms (“We’re effective” rather than “we’re not without skills”)

•Try to explain how what you say affects the journalist’s audience


DO’S AND DON’TS IN AN INTERVIEWDO’S AND DON’TS IN AN INTERVIEW

Don’t

•Say “no comment”. It’s a comment

•Waffle when unsure. It’s ok not to know – honestly !

•Speak off the record with a journalist you don’t know and trust

•Assume the microphone is off

•Offer a personal view


TO RECAPTO RECAP

• Are you ready?

• What will your ideal headline be?

• What are the key messages to back the headline?

• Don’t lose that precious trust

•Remember: Journalists can be allies


Thank Thank youyou

Thank Thank youyouXin cảm ơnXin cảm ơnXin cảm ơnXin cảm ơn

1 |1 | COUNTRY OFFICE FOR Viet Nam Outbreak Communications Shelaye Boothey WHO Communications Officer GOARN – Melbourne.

Documents

country office

action slide

stake slide

outbreak control

vital tool slide

society approach slide

effective communications

poor communications