Life-Saving Communications

Journalists can play a critical public communications role in times of national emergency.

The need to put mass media in the frontline in the event of a ‘flu pandemic is a message which the Thomson Foundation has expounded to health officials in 14 European and Asian countries.

It’s one which the government of Tajikistan, in particular, has taken on board.  In a move supported by the country’s president’s office, it is taking steps to improve its existing communications systems.

It is reviewing its interface with print and broadcast journalists and is looking closely at how the media can help to put across potentially life-saving information in a public health crisis.

The government is also running a series of media workshops on the subject. In addition, it is setting up a ‘hotline’ for members of the public to ‘phone in for information on influenza and other health issues.

Its actions follow participation in a 12-month UNICEF-funded programme to create awareness of the threat of a human ‘flu pandemic linked the high possibility of an outbreak of H5N1, or avian ‘flu.

As part of this programme, the Thomson Foundation ran symposia for government and health officials in Albania, Ukraine/Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Romania and Serbia/Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as in Tajikistan, in 2006/2007.

“All the workshops were extremely successful,” said Thomson Foundation consultant Derek Woodcock, lead trainer for the project.

“Each was tailored to the needs of the particular country. We flagged up to officials the importance of an effective communications strategy and how crucial it is to work closely with the media in times of national emergencies.

“We’ve now had feedback from the government in Tajikistan who are making recommended changes to their existing communications’ systems. The whole subject is being discussed at deputy prime ministerial level, which shows the significance they attach to it.”