Leribe — The media and community engagement play a critical role in disseminating accurate information during emergencies, World Health Organisation (WHO) Communications Officer Ms Olivia Okorondu has said.

Ms. Okorondu was speaking during a one-week training for the District Rapid Response Team (DRRT) being held in Hlotse, Leribe.

She said effective communication with communities could save lives by encouraging positive action during health emergencies while reducing fear.

Ms Okorondu said it was important to communicate measures being taken to control an emergency and provide information that would enable people to protect themselves. She said the media also helped to minimise the spread of misinformation, making its involvement important during emergencies.

She urged the DRRT to engage with the media to raise awareness and support behaviour change among communities.
Ms Okorondu said journalists could resort to speculation when timely and accurate information was not provided to them.
She stressed the importance of the DRRT having a designated communications officer who could provide information from the correct source at the right time.

“Giving out information from many sources confuses communities,” she said. She also encouraged the use of social media platforms to disseminate accurate information during emergencies, including the use of relevant hashtags to reach wider audiences.

Speaking at the same training, Ministry of Health International Health Regulations Manager Mr. Khotso Mahomo said community engagement during emergencies helped health authorities understand the beliefs and cultures of affected populations.

He said DRRT members needed to develop good listening skills and show empathy towards affected communities.
Mr. Mahomo said the goal of community engagement was to build a shared relationship with communities throughout the emergency cycle.

He said DRRT members must work closely with communities during health emergencies because communities were at the centre of efforts to prevent and control outbreaks.

Participants acknowledged the importance of media and community involvement in emergency response, saying their participation could contribute to stopping the spread of outbreaks. The training attended by about 20 participants from different government ministries started on Monday and is expected to end on Friday.