Building Health Resilience: The Impact of Risk Communication and Community Engagement in Ghana's Public Health Response

In times of crisis, misinformation can spread faster than disease as a result of resharing information on social media without initial verification. To combat this, WHO Ghana developed and disseminated Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials tailored to different audiences. These included visually engaging posters, informative leaflets, fact sheets, jingles, and targeted social and public service announcements. These materials simplified complex health messages, helping people understand disease symptoms, transmission, prevention strategies, and when to seek care.
Public health messaging was not just about spreading information—it was about sparking action. Through mass media campaigns, including radio, television, and social media, WHO and its partners ensured that accurate health messages reached people in every corner of the country.

Understanding that public health emergencies begin in communities, WHO Ghana strengthened its on-the-ground engagement. The RCCE team worked closely with health officials to organize community durbars, town hall meetings, and interactive sessions, fostering a two-way exchange of information. These gatherings allowed community members to express concerns, ask questions, and contribute ideas on how best to tackle health threats.
Beyond large gatherings, targeted engagements played a crucial role. WHO Ghana partnered with traditional and religious leaders, mother support groups, youth networks, and local influencers, leveraging their credibility to disseminate trusted health information. This approach ensured that messages resonated deeply and were embraced at the grassroots level.

Media plays an indispensable role in ensuring timely, accurate, and widespread dissemination of health information. Recognizing this, WHO Ghana trained eighty journalists from across the country on effective reporting during public health emergencies. These trainings equipped journalists with the necessary skills to communicate health risks clearly, counter misinformation, and enhance public understanding of disease outbreaks. Through collaboration with the media, WHO Ghana strengthened its ability to reach diverse audiences, ensuring that communities were well-informed and prepared to respond to health threats.

The impact of these coordinated efforts in 2024 was profound:
Informed Decision-Making: Providing accurate, timely, and comprehensive information about the disease and recommending precautions enabled individuals to make well-informed decisions that better protected their health and safety. This involved understanding the nature of the risks they face, how these risks can impact their lives, and the specific actions they can take to minimize those risks.
Preventing Spread: By promoting vaccination, hand hygiene, and other preventive behaviors, RCCE played a key role in reducing disease transmission and safeguarding public health.
Building Trust: Transparent and consistent communication was vital for establishing trust between public health authorities and the community. This trust was crucial for ensuring that the public cooperated with recommended health measures, especially during the crises when compliance was necessary for an effective response.
Reducing Panic: In times of crisis, clear and reassuring communication helped to alleviate fear, counter misinformation, and promote rational responses to public health threats. By providing context, addressing concerns, and outlining the steps being taken to manage the situation, we encouraged the public to respond thoughtfully and rationally rather than being driven by anxiety.
Community Engagement: By involving communities as partners in the response, RCCE ensured that interventions were culturally sensitive, locally driven, and widely accepted. Actively involving communities as partners in public health response efforts ensured that strategies were culturally appropriate and resonated with the specific needs and values of the diverse populations, especially those affected.

As Ghana continues its journey toward universal health coverage, RCCE remains a powerful tool in WHO Ghana’s strategy. The success of 2024 reaffirmed a critical lesson—public health thrives when communities are informed, engaged, and empowered.

For Additional Information or to Request Interviews, Please contact:
Abdul-Lahie Abdul-Rahim Naa
Communications Officer
WHO Ghana Country Office
Email: abdullahiea@who.int
Tel: +233 20 196 2393