One Health National Emergency Risk Communication Strategic Plan

The One Health National Emergency Risk Communication Strategic Plan is a national cross-sectoral plan of Sierra Leone. Its main objectives are to establish a risk communication multisectoral coordination mechanism within One Health that ensures consistent, accurate, and clear message dissemination for increasing knowledge and prevention behaviors before, during, and after human, animal, zoonotic, and environmental emergencies across national and district levels; establish core coordination teams within Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment Protection Agency, and Office of National Security under One Health as the leading sources of emergency information in Sierra Leone; establish credible and trusted spokespersons in Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment Protection Agency, and Office of National Security under One Health at the national and district levels to share timely and accurate information using risk communication principles in the event of an emergency; provide clear and actionable communication on steps people can take to stay safe and healthy before, during, and after health emergencies; engage and coordinate key internal and external partners, providing leadership and guidance with risk communication and social and behavior change communication objectives, messages, and activities; encourage a timely end to health emergencies by using risk communication and social and behavior change communication methods to increase public confidence and community ownership of health protection strategies, including channels and mechanisms for feedback loops from the community; ensure consistency in government, partner, and private sector communication before, during, and after public health emergencies; ensure culturally appropriate and gender-sensitive risk communication messages and activities, employing communication channels that reach down to village and household level and ensure feedback loops to the national level; increase knowledge and awareness of protective health measures by sharing accurate information about infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, and other public health threats and how to prevent their spread; and increase self-efficacy and resilience at national and district levels by strengthening the ability of communities to respond to public health threats.