The Role of Comm' in EPI: strategy

1
The Role of Comm. in EPI strategy messaging

• Presentation during Introduction of Vaccines in
  East Africa Lessons Learnt and Maintaining
  Services
• The New Stanley Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
• December 9 11, 2002
• Yohannes G. Tsadik
• Social Mobilization Officer for EPI- ICP/EA

2
Benefits of Comm. For EPI

• Quality active service delivery
• Well-planned comm. activity
• Ensures acceptance of service, sustains demand
• Facilitates raise in EPI coverage
• Facilitates the support by all possible
  allies/partners
• Reduces dropout rates

3
Benefits of Communication contd.

• Raises awareness/increase knowledge on benefits
  of immunization preventable diseases in
  general
• Ensures the commitment of decision
  makers/leadership
• Helps achieve commitment, participation and
  ownership of EPI program by community
• Helps to reach every household even hard to reach
• Assists for improved service delivery (HWs)
• Assists in raising funds for EPI program
• Strengthens understanding between ICC/ MOH/Allies

4
Communication Analysis/objectives

• Behaviors caretakers bringing babies, carry
  immunization cards, making immunization a
  culture, HWs speaking to mothers
• Communication Objectives Focus on specific
  objectives, Ask what is the expected result?
  realistic, measurable, time-bound
• If properly worded/formulated will tell targets,
  what action to take, when the behavior to occur,
  tage to be influenced or changed to a desirable
  behavior

5
Planning Comm. for Immunization

• Comm. strategy Advocacy/SM/Communication
• Advocacy Commitment for political, resources
  policy support Process of Advocacy Gather
  information and define your audience, build a
  plan (objectives, timeline, budget), create
  messages/materials, face to face meetings, etc.
• Social Mobilization Building partnership, ie.
  involvement of broad range of allies Process of
  SM Organize initial meeting(s), determine
  potential contribution, form committees, organize
  events/activities

6
Comm. Strategy contd.

• Behavior change (Prog. Communication) Prog.
  Comm. encourages behavior change among targets
• Process for comm. for behavior change
• Define the problem thru analysis determine
  comm. related solutions
• Determine the appropriate target audience and
  required message
• Select appropriate strategy
• Implement strategy monitor activities

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TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

• One can communicate in many ways mass, group or
  individual or non-verbal
• Most effective for behavior change is
  interpersonal notably between caretakers and
  service providers
• Non-verbal communication is another way
• Body language, the expression on faces while
  someone is talking, silence, eye contact, etc.
• Good interpersonal communication non-verbal
  communication by mobilizers is important because
  he/she communicates with kinds of people

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Interpersonal communication skills

• Important to make your point effectively
• Gives a chance for dialogue and leads to
  understanding of each other
• Be natural, show interest and pay attention,
  Demonstrate sensitivity (sympathize with others,
  let them speak), use humor, listen attentively,
  encourage your communicator to express
  themselves
• nod, say yes or continue or I understand
• (Exercise)

9
Barriers to Communication

• Sometimes we do not get good results in EPI
  perhaps because
• communication was bad (channel, source, receiver,
  content) or information misinterpreted
• EPI may not be a priority for leadership during
  advocacy or mothers did not understand
• Lack of communication skills on the part of
  service providers or the manager
• Lack of participation by all concerned

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Managing implementation of comm.activities

• Train HWs/allies/volunteers who are participating
  in communication of EPI
• Supervise comm. Activities monitor progress
  within
• specified time and make improvements
• Verify comm. materials are distributed and
  reached where they are required most
• Hold meetings to communicate progress discuss
  constraints
• Communicate evaluation results consensus
  reached
• Ensures focal point is appointed he/she is
  responsible for comm. planning and implementing
  activities, works as a member of ICC

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Managing Comm. Activities contd.

• Ensure the formation of ICC sub-committee for
  communication, very good if available at
  sub-national level too formulate comm.
  strategies for EPI
• Integrate Comm. component in multi-year annual
  PoA with activities (training, implementation
  schedule, budget)
• Measure your success by the involvement of CBOs
  community members dialoguing with community to
  decide on issues/solutions planning activities
  availability of adequate proper information,
  IEC materials, enhancing capacity building, etc.

12
Monitoring comm. activities

• Objectives addressed/achieved
• All groups reached (hard to reach)
• Appropriate channels utilized
• Message understood their effects measured
• Comm. Committees and integrated comm. plan
  existed

13
Communication for New Vaccines

• Mostly technical but communication has role too
• Basic message may be immunization has improved
  offers more protection for more diseases
• More protection for the same visits and
  injections
• New antigens have virtually no side effects
• HWs need to perform new tasks so the
  communication focus may be on them
• They need to be trained on communication skills
  Hepatitis B Hib are difficult to explain to
  public, may be better to focus on benefits
  details can lead to confusion

14
Recommended actions

• Spot check on material distribution
• Observe whether planned activities are carried
  out
• Review feedback from field
• Interview service providers on attitude change,
• knowledge practice
• Hold focus group discussions

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Conclusion and Recommended Action contd.

• Comm. fails when seen as an activity and left
  without owner so give ownership until
  institutionalization is realized
• To succeed in comm. interventions, plan well and
  act accordingly Combat rumors
• Make sure that ICC has a SOCOMOB sub-committee
  and such committees at all levels
• Avoid weak client/ caretaker relationships
• Focus more on interpersonal/group media, less on
  mass media

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THANK YOU -- Asante