Avian Flu Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Materials Initiative
As part of the Joint United Nations Programme to Fight Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of the S. R. Viet Nam are collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop various information, education, and communication (IEC) materials related to avian flu. International non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as CARE International and PLAN International are participating in the effort to reproduce and then distribute these materials throughout Vietnam in an effort to reach out to citizens of all ages with messages designed to alert them to the danger of bird flu and to communicate strategies for preventing the disease.
Communication Strategies
This initiative draws on a number of communication approaches and channels to educate and change behaviour in this time of a potential health emergency/pandemic. Global partnership has been instrumental in the production of these IEC materials, which include:
- Printed Materials
- Posters - Two different posters were erected on the streets of 11 high-risk provinces and major cities to share information about the importance of washing hands with soap and cooking poultry meat thoroughly. CARE International is distributing these posters in 4 provinces. In addition, A4-sized posters are being included in IEC packages distributed to stakeholders, and also focus on slaughtering poultry safely and avoiding contact with sick birds.
- Booklets - 50,000 copies of a 16-page booklet designed for rural audiences are being distributed to 64 provinces. The booklet promotes public awareness and behaviour change on such topics as "How to Protect Our Poultry, your Family and your Community", with specific content addressing farmers and rural audiences. 20,000 copies of a similar, 12-page booklet geared toward urban audiences was also produced and distributed.
- Leaflets - 100,000 of these 4- to 6-page long materials were distributed to promote public awareness and behaviour change with a focus on animal health.
- Quiz - A 1- to 2-page multiple choice quiz was developed for primary school students. It includes basic information on how the virus is contracted, and how to avoid it. Parents are also involved.
- UNICEF's CREATE! CD, which includes IEC materials from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- Radio spots - These 30-second-long educational spots were broadcast on 6 programmes on Radio Voice of Vietnam from January 25 to February 28 2006.
- Television spots - Public service announcements (PSAs) of 45-60 seconds each promoting AI prevention actions have been broadcast nationwide on VTV1, VTV2 and VTV3 three times a day throughout January-May 2006. Thirty-second celebrity spots were also created and aired; CARE is considering using these spots for their reference and possibly at training courses. In addition, organisers have dubbed and sub-titled a 1-minute PSA created in Japan that features comedic actor Jackie Chan playfully creating colourful origami birds with children - while delivering a serious message.
Development Issues
Health.
Partners
UNICEF, the Government of the S. R. Viet Nam, WHO, FAO, UNDP.
Sources
Email from Pham Ngoc Len to The Communication Initiative on August 31 2006.
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