Avian Influenza

Where communication and media are central to the eradication of Avian Influenza


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Public Awareness Initiative on Avian Influenza

Country

Malawi

Programme Summary

Population Services International (PSI)/Malawi engaged in an effort to create communication materials to augment and complement the Government of Malawi's efforts to raise public awareness of and preparedness for avian influenza (AI) in the country. Launched in April 2006 with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Malawi, this project involved PSI/Malawi's using the basic avian flu prevention messages already developed by the National Avian Influenza Technical Committee (NAITC) as the basis for an integrated behaviour change and awareness campaign. Key groups addressed through the campaign, which concluded at the end of February 2007, included the general population, poultry keepers, border populations, and border officials.

Communication Strategies

This initiative was built on cooperation between a non-governmental organisation (NGO) - PSI/Malawi - and the Government to develop means for reaching out to citizens with information on bird flu, and details about how to prevent infection. To begin, together, the NAITC and PSI/Malawi identified key groups they sought to reach with their AI messages and materials. The NAITC, PSI/Malawi, and USAID Malawi then worked together to identify key messages for each group via a consultative and collaborative approach.

What emerged from this process was the concept development, pre-testing, and production of 5 A2 posters, 1 A4 leaflet, and 4 radio spots (one geared toward border populations, one geared toward border officials, and an additional two designed to educate the general population). The printed materials feature the basic message "Bird Flu is very dangerous! Prevent it!" They include simple, colourful illustrations - with red "check marks" to indicate practices that can help prevent avian flu (e.g., cleaning birds carefully) and red "X"s marked to show behaviours (e.g., sleeping near birds in one's household) that are unsafe - and basic instructions in the local language of Chichewa. One poster shares very basic details about signs of AI, and encourages reporting: "For more information consult your nearest veterinary office or call 01 753 038." The poster that is meant to reach officials policing the border encourages careful inspection of the poultry entering the country.

These materials have been distributed by the Government of Malawi in a phased fashion, beginning with border areas, in order to sensitise and educate the populations living near these locations on the dangers of AI and how to prevent it from entering the country in the first place. Communication materials have also been distributed to the Poultry Union, Siku Poultry Farms, and branches of Farmers World nationwide. They have also been shared with other agencies in the region. Organisers indicate that the materials will form a ready resource of approved Government of Malawi public awareness AI communication materials that can be reproduced using earmarked funding.

Development Issues

Health.

Partners

PSI/Malawi, NAITC (which is comprised of several stakeholders including government departments and donor and United Nations (UN) agencies).

Contact

Andrew Miller
Director of Communications
Population Services International (PSI)/Malawi

16 Leslie Road
P.O. Box 529

Blantyre
Malawi
Tel: 265 0 9963304
Fax: 265 1 674 138

Source

Email from Andrew Miller to The Communication Initiative on August 28 2007.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site August 28 2007
Last Updated July 18 2008



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