Regional health leaders from across Poland learned new skills for effective communication during health emergencies at a workshop organized by WHO in partnership with the country’s Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS). Participants had been at the forefront of communicating the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis exacerbated by misinformation and disinformation online. During the workshop, they strengthened their capacity to use a variety of communication tools, with a focus on developing key messages for different audiences, working with the media, adopting effective interview techniques, using social media and countering disinformation.
“The workshop provided an opportunity to objectively evaluate my performance doing broadcast interviews,” highlighted Ms Dominika Łatak-Glonek, Spokeswoman for the Voivodeship Sanitary Station in Kraków. “The simulations involved challenging journalistic questions, including on emergency situations like measles epidemics. Through the workshop I was able to improve my skills and gain confidence in my professional abilities.”
Learning opportunities
Dr Paloma Cuchí, WHO Representative in Poland, explained that during public health emergencies, it is crucial for health authorities and the media to provide timely, accurate and relevant information and content, enabling people to take informed decisions about how to protect themselves and others.
“Until medical solutions are available, providing people with information about protective measures they can take is the best way to help them stay healthy,” she explained. “By working with spokespeople from across all 16 voivodeships, we can ensure that health authorities have the tools and knowledge to communicate public health messages effectively and ensure that members of the public are able to access the information they need.”
Drawing on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants shared examples of best practices and solutions to some of the challenges they faced. The skill-sharing sessions enabled them to develop practical approaches to real-world scenarios, such as responding to misinformation, rumours and uncertainty.
Mr Szymon Cienki, Director of GIS, described the value of the training for his organization and colleagues: “At GIS, we prioritize enhancing our skills and international collaboration. Effective communication is crucial in the public health sector, where misinformation is widespread. WHO has extensive experience in this field, so this was a great opportunity to learn. We hope to continue our successful partnership in the future and look forward to further opportunities for growth.”
Risk communication
Capacity-building resources for risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management (RCCE-IM) have been designed by WHO to enable health authorities to communicate effectively with the public during health emergencies about the work they are doing and the measures they are taking. RCCE-IM topics include communicating public health advice on how people can protect themselves and answering specific questions about vaccines and other issues.