Community engagement is crucial during health emergencies and how to establish dialogue with communities was the focus of a training workshop organized by WHO in Tirana, Albania. More than 30 representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) and health authorities, along with other partners and stakeholders discussed the importance of community-led responses to emergencies. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, this subject has never been higher on the health agenda. The workshop was organized with technical support from WHO/Europe and financial support from the European Union (EU).
At the 2-day workshop organized by the WHO Country Office in Albania, it was noted that communities are increasingly recognized as key partners for outbreak preparedness and response. These groups include not only those at risk, but also other stakeholders with links to these populations, who may be able to support the preparedness and response process. In many communities, CSOs and community-based, trusted influencers are the only ones able to engage and inform people and address their concerns.
Addressing the workshop, Dr Eugena Tomini, Director of Albania’s Institute of Public Health, stated that “Effective communication about risks during an emergency – through community engagement – is a vital public health intervention. It saves lives during emergencies, and every investment in crisis communication and community engagement is an investment in health security and a safe society.”
Defining the role of communities
WHO experts trained participants on how to map community structures, establish dialogue with communities and build partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including CSOs. In addition they discussed lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, capitalizing on experiences of communicating about COVID-19 preventive measures with marginalized groups. Keeping community engagement principles at the core, particularly for socially vulnerable populations, requires involving community-based partners in the exchange of information about risk, as well as establishing trust through shared decision-making, including on a range of social, economic, political and environmental issues.
Bernard Segarra, Policy Officer with the EU Delegation to Albania, stated that “Countries need support to build capacities on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), and make sure that it is at the heart of all public health interventions, especially in emergencies. We have all seen how these community-based empowerment initiatives successfully assisted in the pandemic response.”
In her address to the event as a keynote speaker, Dr Najada Çomo, Head of the Infectious Diseases Service at University Hospital “Mother Tereza” in Tirana, stressed that “Health officials can help to build more resilient communities that are better prepared for future health emergencies by valuing the community-level methods used in overcoming COVID-19 and further strengthening the skills of community group members.”
The priority actions and lessons learned that were identified in the workshop will be used to calibrate future RCCE activities in Albania, including relating to the promotion of COVID-19 vaccination.