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Countries prepared for health emergencies

[COUNTRY STORY]

Brunei Darussalam strengthens emergency preparedness, readiness, and response as well as routine health programmes using behavioural and social science

Brunei Darussalam

Photo: WHO / Ahim Rani A Behavioural Insights training is held by WHO in Brunei Darussalam.

Incorporating behavioural insights in an evidence-based response

To counter the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and the World Health Organization (WHO) have recommended numerous protective measures, including mask-wearing, crowd avoidance, hand hygiene, ventilation improvements, and vaccination. Despite this, convincing individuals to comply with these measures has become increasingly challenging as the pandemic enters its third year. Effective communication entails more than simply disseminating information; it must take into account the social, individual, and environmental factors that affect decision-making. Recognizing this, Brunei Darussalam partnered with the WHO to strengthen the use of social and behavioral science for emergency preparedness, readiness, and response, and for routine health programmes in the country. Capacity-building efforts increased understanding of how science, evidence, and data influence people’s behaviors and decision-making processes to support better health and well-being of its citizens, and positioned the country as a leader in evidence-based policymaking and programme development in the region.

Key WHO Contributions

Providing technical expertise for trainings and workshops on integrating BI into health programming and designs
Providing technical expertise to the MoH for the establishment of a BI unit
Developing BI tools and resources, and adapting them to the local context.

How did Brunei, with the support of the WHO Secretariat, achieve this?

In late 2021, the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Brunei Darussalam expressed a need to identify more effective ways to influence behaviors related to COVID-19. Consequently, the MoH requested that the World Health Organization (WHO) host a Behavioural Insights (BI) training aimed at building national capacity for the application of behavioral science in the health sector. In response, WHO Representative Office in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore funded, designed, and conducted a training together with Singapore’s Behavioural Insights team and speakers from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific Region (WPRO), and WHO BI unit from headquarters [1].

^{WHO provided technical expertise for training and workshops on integrating Behavioural Insights into health programming and design.}Photo credit: WHO.

The workshop took place virtually over three days and aimed to help participants understand the relationship between behavioral science (BS) and health and how to integrate behavioral science into the early stages of health programme planning and design. Emphasis was placed on strategies for adherence to COVID-19 protective behaviours and vaccine uptake. Throughout the training, participants were introduced to various tools, methodologies, models, and concepts that could impact their work, including how to run a BI project, conduct data analysis and trials, and develop interventions. Over 30 participants from the MoH attended the training, including social science researchers, public health experts, risk communications and media relations officers, health educators, and health promoters.

“We need to delve into factors such as convenience, social pressure, religion, trust, cost, and other factors which affect what people do. Understanding this human element remains crucial as we work to sustainably manage COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and across the globe”

– Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore.

Following the successful BI training in 2021, WHO provided technical expertise to the MoH to establish a dedicated BI unit. Based on guidance from WHO BI unit, WHO country office conducted multiple consultative sessions with different divisions of the MoH. These sessions covered the usage of various tools for situational, stakeholder, and resource analysis, and incorporated setting up a realistic roadmap for the BI unit's establishment. The newly established BI unit is intended to manage the demand for BI services across ministries and ensure that behavioural science theory, methods, and approaches provide timely and relevant evidence to inform policies, programmes, and communications that meet the Ministry's strategic priorities.

“We must harness behavioural insight tools to reach out to the target audience with the right call to action and empower the public to make informed decisions to better manage their health.”

- Awang haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin, Permanent Secretary of the Brunei Darussalam Ministry of Health.

In 2022, WHO conducted three additional workshops in Brunei Darussalam using WHO’s latest tools and resources to support Member States adapted to the local context by WHO country Office. While one of the workshops focused on infodemic management and delved into the interplay between risk communication, behavioral science, and data management, other workshops extended beyond COVID-19 to address all cross-cutting issues. This included the harmful use of tobacco and non-communicable diseases, with a specific focus on understanding the low uptake of the national health screening programme and identifying key challenges among HIV-affected populations.

During the 2022 Legislative Council in Brunei Darussalam, it was announced that BI would be integrated into the country's Multisectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2021-2025. WHO country office is providing continuous technical guidance throughout this process through a consultant who has been contracted to support the BI unit in implementing various projects outlined in the roadmap. This is expected to pave the way for the development of evidence-based policies, programmes, and strategies that will ultimately improve health outcomes in the country.

In the same year, Brunei Darussalam proudly co-sponsored the global resolution "Behavioral Science for Better Health" at the 75th World Health Assembly, demonstrating the country's commitment to using behavioral science to advance health outcomes, not only within its own borders but also on a global scale. By actively integrating BI into their national plan and contributing to the global discussion on the importance of behavioral science in health, Brunei Darussalam is setting an example for other nations to follow in their pursuit of improving public health.

References

Behavioural Insights Team