Risk communication and community engagement strategies for COVID-19 in 13 African countries

Adebisi, Y. A. , Rabe, A. and Lucero-Prisno III, D. E. (2021) Risk communication and community engagement strategies for COVID-19 in 13 African countries. Health Promotion Perspectives, 11(2), pp. 137-147. (doi: 10.34172/hpp.2021.18) (PMID:34195037) (PMCID:PMC8233683)

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a major threat facing health systems globally and African countries are not an exception. Stakeholders, governments, and national authorities have mounted responses to contain the pandemic. This study aimed to catalogue the risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) strategies as well as the challenges facing RCCE in 13 African countries. Methods: We conducted a narrative review of evidence to answer the aim of the study. The search was conducted in March 2021 and evidence published between December 2019 and February 2021 were included. Data reported in this article were obtained from reports, literature in peer-reviewed journals, grey literature and other data sources in 13 African countries. The 13 countries include Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Algeria, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The authors also snowball further data to gather information for this review. Results: Most of the priority African countries have RCCE strategies to contain the transmission and spread of the coronavirus. Our findings revealed RCCE strategies in the 13 African countries focused on training and capacity building, risk communication systems, internal and partners’ coordination, community engagement, public communication, contending uncertainty, addressing misperceptions and managing misinformation. However, the RCCE response activities were not without challenges, which included distrust in government, cultural, social, and religious resistance, and inertia among others. Conclusion: With the similar RCCE approaches and interventions seen across the countries, it is clear that countries are learning from each other and from global health organizations to develop COVID-19 RCCE programs. It is important for African countries to address the challenges facing RCCE in order to effectively contain the pandemic and to prepare for future public health emergencies.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: YAA is a recipient of 2020 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and National Institute of Health Research UK Small Grant Award. The authors undertake this work with the funding support from Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and National Institute of Health Research UK Small Grant Award.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Adebisi, Yusuff Adebayo
• Authors: Adebisi, Y. A., Rabe, A., and Lucero-Prisno III, D. E.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Health Promotion Perspectives
• Publisher: Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
• ISSN: 2228-6497
• ISSN (Online): 2228-6497
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Author(s)
• First Published: First published in Health Promotion Perspectives 11(2):137-147
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence