RUMOR RESPONSE SYSTEM DESIGN TEMPLATE
Instructions: Design a rumor response system for your division BEFORE crisis hits.
YOUR DIVISION: ___________________________________
YOUR NAME: _______________________________
SECTION 1: RUMOR COLLECTORS
Who will COLLECT rumors in your community?
| Role | Name | Location | How Often Report |
| VHT (Bwaise) | Weekly | ||
| VHT (Katwe) | Weekly | ||
| Health facility staff | As heard | ||
| Market leaders | Weekly | ||
| Religious leaders | As heard | ||
| Community committees | Weekly |
SECTION 2: SUBMISSION METHOD
How will collectors SUBMIT rumors?
☐ WhatsApp group (group name: __________________)
☐ Phone call to coordinator
☐ SMS to short code
☐ Weekly meeting with notes
☐ Other: __________________________
Format they’ll use:
“I heard this rumor on [DATE] at [PLACE]. It says: [EXACT WORDING]. About [NUMBER] people seemed to believe it.”
SECTION 3: RUMOR COORDINATOR
Who will MANAGE the system?
Coordinator name: _______________________________
Coordinator contact: _______________________________
Coordinator role in existing structure: _______________________________
Time allocated: ___ hours/week
SECTION 4: RECORDING PROCESS
How will rumors be RECORDED?
Tool: ☐ Excel ☐ Google Sheets ☐ DHIS2 ☐ Other: __________
Data to collect for each rumor:
- Date heard
- Exact wording
- Location/geography
- Reach (estimate how many heard)
- Source (who reported it)
- Theme (what’s the content)
- Initial priority (high/medium/low)
SECTION 5: WEEKLY COORDINATION MEETING
MEETING DETAILS:
- When: Every _____________ at _______ (day, time)
- Where: _______________________________
- Who attends: ___________________________
- Coordinator
- DMO/RCCE lead
- Community representatives
- Health facility leads
- Duration: 1 hour
MEETING AGENDA:
- Coordinator presents all rumors from week (10 min)
- Team assesses priority for each (20 min)
- Plan responses for HIGH priority (20 min)
- Assign follow-up actions (5 min)
- Set date for next review (5 min)
SECTION 6: RESPONSE DECISION RULES
For HIGH priority rumors:
- Draft response: Within 24 hours
- Messenger identified: _______________
- Channels: _______________
- Timeline to deploy: _______________
For MEDIUM priority rumors:
- Monitor: Daily check if increasing
- Response timeline: 3-5 days
- Contingency: If reaches HIGH priority, escalate
For LOW priority rumors:
- Monitor only
- Include in general messaging if relevant
- No individual response
SECTION 7: SUSTAINABILITY & CAPACITY
What will people NEED to run this system?
- Training on rumor identification
- Communication channels (WhatsApp, phones)
- Coordinator time allocation
- Meeting space weekly
- Leadership support (DMO endorsement)
Sustainability beyond KCCA:
What capacity building is needed? _______________
Can community structures run this? _______________
Who will lead after KCCA? _______________