HC3 Leads Zika Communication and Community Stakeholder Engagement Strategy Development in Guatemala

A two-day stakeholder workshop – co-led by HC3’s Zika team and UNICEF, in collaboration with USAID – was held January 18-19 in Guatemala to help develop a national communication strategy related to the Zika virus.

Guatemala’s Ministry of Health Vice Minister Adrian Chavez delivered the workshop’s opening remarks on January 18. In attendance were UNICEF Director Mariko Karoshima, USAID Health Division Chief Vicky Stein, as well as representatives from the Guatemalan Ministry of Health. Additionally, attendees from the Pan American Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, UNESCO, Red Cross Guatemala, World Vision, PSI/PASMO, UNICEF, Medical Care Development International and USAID participated.

La mesa para una estrategia nacional de comunicación para la promoción de la salud en prevención y atención al #Zika fue inaugurada. pic.twitter.com/SQOT6NiGCU

— Ministerio de Salud (@MinSaludGuate) January 21, 2017

This event follows on the progress made at a USAID regional Zika Communication and Community Engagement workshop held in Panama City, Panama, in November 2016, where HC3 introduced an adaptable framework for strategic Zika communication for use in local contexts.

During the workshop, HC3 and UNICEF provided the evidence base and situational context for Zika communication, as well as a structure to guide workshop participants in the development of a country-specific communication strategy. Participants developed content for four components of the communication strategy (advocacy, social mobilization and community participation, behavior change communication and outreach) as part of the activities. They also consolidated specific activities for an operational plan across each of these components.

As part of the analysis of the context, HC3 presented a detailed Zika communication activity map based on interviews conducted by HC3 with 10 key organizations in the national Zika response. Each organization’s Zika communication activities were mapped by department with segmentation by audience (e.g., adolescents, pregnant women, women of reproductive age, community groups and community leaders,  men, and families affected by Zika, among others).

Each pin on the interactive map provides a clickable display that indicates the lead organization, department in which the activity takes place, and information about the type of activity (e.g., mass media, community mobilization, interpersonal communication), supporting materials used (e.g., radio spots, video, posters, brochures) and key messages (e.g., mode of Zika transmission). This database of activities is a tool to improve coordination among stakeholders in Guatemala’s fight against Zika and identify areas of synergy and gaps in communication programming.

HC3 will continue to work with stakeholders in Guatemala to finalize a national strategy to promote behavior change at the individual, community and institutional level to mobilize resources, increase social commitment and implement policies of prevention, care and awareness pertaining to Zika.

Learn more about HC3’s work around Zika.