This is a call for abstracts for a joint webinar series from the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Immunisation Demand Technical Working Groups.
The webinars will focus on strengthening trust in health authorities and building resilient health systems for more effective outbreak response in East and Southern Africa.
Trust in health services before, during and after public health emergencies is critical, as higher trust leads to better community compliance with public health recommendations and more effective outbreak control.
The webinars aim to share lessons learned, best practices and interventions for building trust and resilience in health systems, including for routine immunization, community engagement, policy environments, and data utilization.
Submission Guidelines
Abstracts are invited on topics such as strengthening health service delivery, engaging community structures, creating enabling policy environments, and improving data use for community-centered responses.
Abstracts should focus on building trust across different settings and populations, including marginalized and unimmunized communities.
On February 27, the webinar dedicated to the joint evaluation of the Collective Service took place and was hosted by UNICEF. The one-hour information session presented the results of how the collaboration of the three partners — IFRC, UNICEF, and WHO — has impacted public health coordination, discussed its challenges and achievements, and provided strategic recommendations for the future of the service.
The strategic options suggested to determine the future level of ambition of the Service in terms of scale and reach are still to be discussed, and management’s response will be communicated within the coming weeks.
Zambia has been experiencing a cholera outbreak since October 2023 with all ten provinces reporting cases. Lusaka remains the main epicentre accounting for over 95% of all reported cases in the country. As of February 14, a total of 18,804 cases have been reported of which 11,973 are in Lusaka province and its districts (including all its sub-districts), which 658 deaths and a case fatality rate of 3.5%.
Children and men continue to account for many of the cases and deaths both in the community and at the facility. Investigations are ongoing to unpack the reasons why children and men are at high risk.
In support of the Dynamic Listening and Research Subgroup under the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Pillar, co-led by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), UNICEF is working with the Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS) and University of Zambia (UNZA), supported by UKHSA and US CDC to undertake a series of rapid qualitative assessments (RQA) to better understand transmission dynamics and community perceptions towards causes of cholera, prevention measures and treatment.
The early key findings and recommendations were shared during the presentation of the ESAR Technical Working Group as well as multiple response coordination platforms in each country. Other RCCE activities have been implemented, such as the reactivation of Dynamic Listening, training and mentoring/supervision of the University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Public Health Students, Community Feedback System with training on data coding across the country, and the development of action tracking for RQAs and Community Feedback data.
