Risk Communication and Community Engagement

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Module 1: RCCE Foundations, Urban Context & One Health

COMPONENT 7: FRAMEWORKS GALLERY WALK (4 framework posters)

POSTER 1: WHO INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS (IHR 2005)

What is it?
Legally binding agreement among 196 countries to prevent and respond to public health threats that could cross borders.

Key requirements:

  • Countries must develop core capacities (surveillance, laboratory, response)
  • Report public health emergencies to WHO
  • Share information transparently
  • Avoid unnecessary trade/travel restrictions
  • Respect human rights

How it relates to RCCE:

  • IHR requires countries to communicate risks to public
  • Annex 2: Obligation to assess and notify WHO of events
  • Article 6: WHO can issue temporary recommendations (countries must communicate these to citizens)

What it means for KCCA:

  • When WHO issues alerts (e.g., Ebola in DRC), KCCA must communicate risks to Kampala residents
  • KCCA’s surveillance strengthens Uganda’s IHR compliance
  • Cross-border coordination (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda) required

Guiding questions for reflection:

  1. How does IHR relate to KCCA’s RCCE work?
  2. Why does international law require risk communication?
  3. What would happen if Uganda didn’t comply with IHR?

POSTER 2: UGANDA NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR HEALTH SECURITY (NAPHS 2019-2024)

What is it?
Uganda’s roadmap to strengthen health emergency preparedness and response across 19 technical areas.

19 Technical Areas:

PREVENT:

  1. Antimicrobial resistance
  2. Zoonotic diseases
  3. Food safety
  4. Biosafety/biosecurity
  5. Immunization

DETECT:
6. National laboratory system
7. Surveillance
8. Reporting
9. Workforce development

RESPOND:
10. Preparedness
11. Emergency response operations
12. Linking public health and security
13. Medical countermeasures
14. Risk communication ← RCCE is here
15. Points of entry

ENABLING FUNCTIONS:
16. National coordination
17. Financing
18. Advocacy and communication
19. Monitoring and evaluation

RCCE in NAPHS:

  • Technical Area 14 specifically addresses risk communication
  • Objectives:
    • Develop national RCCE strategy
    • Train RCCE focal points at national and district levels
    • Establish community engagement structures
    • Conduct risk perception studies
    • Manage infodemics
    • Coordinate with media

What it means for KCCA:

  • KCCA’s RCCE work aligns with national priorities
  • KCCA can access NAPHS funding and technical support
  • KCCA training contributes to Uganda’s overall health security

Guiding questions:

  1. How does KCCA’s RCCE training support NAPHS objectives?
  2. Which of the 19 technical areas require RCCE?
  3. What is the connection between RCCE and national health security?

POSTER 3: UGANDA ONE HEALTH STRATEGIC PLAN (2018-2022, extended to 2027)

What is it?
National framework for multisectoral collaboration on zoonotic diseases, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance.

Vision:
“A healthy and productive population through a coordinated One Health approach”

Goal:
Reduce morbidity, mortality, and economic losses from priority zoonotic diseases, food safety hazards, and AMR.

Priority zoonotic diseases:

  1. Ebola and Marburg
  2. Anthrax
  3. Rabies
  4. Brucellosis
  5. Rift Valley fever
  6. Yellow fever
  7. Mpox
  8. Avian influenza
  9. CCHF

5 Strategic Objectives:

  1. Strengthen coordination and collaboration (One Health platform)
  2. Build capacity (training, infrastructure)
  3. Enhance surveillance and information sharing
  4. Improve outbreak response
  5. Promote behavior change and risk communication ← RCCE

Objective 5 specifically calls for:

  • Community awareness campaigns
  • Engagement of traditional and religious leaders
  • School-based education
  • Targeted messages for high-risk groups (farmers, butchers, hunters)
  • Social mobilization

What it means for KCCA:

  • One Health is national policy (not optional)
  • KCCA must integrate veterinary and environmental sectors
  • RCCE messages must address animal handling, bushmeat, markets

Guiding questions:

  1. How can KCCA operationalize One Health in divisions?
  2. Who should be at the table during KCCA PHEOC activation?
  3. What One Health RCCE messages does Kampala need?

POSTER 4: KCCA EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN (2025-2030)

What is it?
KCCA’s internal plan for coordinating multi-hazard emergency response across 5 divisions.

Hazards covered:

  • Disease outbreaks (cholera, Ebola, Mpox, COVID-19)
  • Floods
  • Fires (especially in informal settlements)
  • Industrial accidents
  • Terrorist attacks
  • Mass casualty events

Response structure:

  • KCCA Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) = Central coordination
  • Division Emergency Operations Centers = 5 divisions
  • Task Forces = Multisectoral teams (health, security, LC leaders, private sector)

Roles:

  • Executive Director (KCCA) = Overall authority
  • Director Public Health = Incident commander for health emergencies
  • Division Medical Officers (DMOs) = Division-level response
  • VHTs = Community-level surveillance and engagement
  • Partners = UNICEF, WHO, Red Cross, S4P

RCCE in the plan:

  • RCCE is designated as a core function
  • DMOs are responsible for division-level RCCE
  • VHTs serve as RCCE frontline
  • Partners support RCCE capacity building

What it means for you:

  • This training implements the RCCE function in KCCA’s plan
  • You are the people who activate RCCE during emergencies
  • Your role is defined: surveillance, engagement, rumor management, coordination

Guiding questions:

What gaps exist in KCCA’s RCCE capacity?

Where do YOU fit in KCCA’s emergency response structure?

How does RCCE link to other emergency functions (logistics, surveillance, security)?