IHR Risk Communication Capacity Building Workshop

Bryna Brennan, Senior Advisor, Risk and Outbreak Communication

PAHO/WHO

Lima, Peru – March 2010

Where we have been since 2005…………………

• Chasing birds

• Creating communication strategies

• Global and regional and meetings

• Sub regional meetings

• Moving fast

H5N1!!!!!?

How did we do what we did?

• Together – juntos

• Shared experiences – experiencias compartidas.

• Learning – aprendizaje

• By fire – fuego

• Flexible – flexible

• Adaptable

Created a model for our risk communication

• Prevention

• Preparation

• Training

• Listening

• Response

• Action

• From outbreaks to public health emergencies

• Under the IHR – role and functions

• Need to train up to Ministers, out to public, across health services

• Not personal image building

• Always has a political dimension

• Constantly changing but basic principles the same

Risk Communication

Worst or Best Case Scenario

•New Virus

•No drugs

•No vaccine

Primeros Anuncios

Comunicación de riesgo?

Yet Another Definition

Risk communication is an integral component of public health risk management. It is focused on dialogue with those affected and concerned and strives to ensure communication strategies are evidence based.

Under the IHR, risk communication for public health emergencies includes the range of communication capacities required through the preparedness, response and recovery phases of a serious public health event to encourage informed decision making, positive behaviour change and the maintenance of trust.

Otra definición

La comunicación de riesgos es un componente integral de la gestión de riesgos para la salud pública.   Está enfocada en el diálogo con aquellos afectados e interesados y se esfuerza en garantizar que las estrategias de comunicación estén basadas en datos probatorios. 

Bajo el RSI, la comunicación de riesgos para las emergencias de salud pública incluye una variedad de capacidades requeridas a través de las fases de preparación, respuesta y recuperación de un acontecimiento grave de salud pública para promover la toma de decisiones fundamentada, el cambio de comportamientos positivo y el mantenimiento de la confianza.

Work that still needs to be done…

•Case studies

Yellow Fever Paraguay

Upcoming Plans

• Manual

• Survey of countries following H1N1

• Slides

• Spokesperson course

• Risk communication course on Virtual Campus

• Rapid Deployment

• Red Salud H1N1 dialogue

• KAP studies

• In country workshops

What will the future bring?Que traerá el futuro…

• Más casos/cambios - change

• Vigilancia Constante - surveillance

• Inmunización - vaccine

• H5H1 – ongoing threat

• Colaboración - collaboration

• Evaluación - evaluation

www.paho.org/riskcomm