COMMUNICATING Avian Influenza in a complex

Environment:The Case of Nigeria

Country Profile• Area: 923,766 sq.km.• Population: 140 million (estimate)• Capital: Abuja• Government: Three-tier structure – A

Federal Government, 36 State Governments, 774 Local Government Administrations

• Official Language: English• Main Indigenous Languages: Hausa,

Igbo, Yoruba and over 250 distinct others/about 3,000 dialects

• Main Religions: Christianity, Islam, Traditional

OUTBREAK OF HPAI IN NIGERIA

• Prior to February 2006, there was no report of AI in Nigeria

• 1st suspicion at Sambawa Farm 16/01/06

• Avian Influenza Confirmation on 06/02/06

• H5N1 Profile. Received on 07/02/06• FGN went public on 08/02/06

APEX COMMITTEES FOR AI CONTROL

• Inter-Ministerial SteeringMoA&RD, MoH, MoI&C, MoST1st meeting Chaired by The President of

the Republic

• Technical Committee

• National Public Enlightenment Committee

Communication Response before & to 1st AI Outbreak

• Set up a National Public Enlightenment Committee chaired by MOI to kick off sensitization of Nigerians on AI

• Developed an Integrated Communication Strategy for the country

• Established PEC in all States and FCT• Advocacy meetings with all 37 State Commissioners

of Information, BON, FICs and NOA• Regular press briefings• Awareness and sensitization on electronic, print and

traditional media – 80% achieved within 2 weeks of outbreak.

POULTRY SECTOR

• Poultry population: 140 million• Holdings/sectoral distribution

Commercial 25%Semi-commercial 15%Backyards 60%

• Economics Net worth $250mContribution 9 – 10% Agric GDPLargest beneficiary of Investment fundsPotential for Export

POULTRY RISK ANALYSIS

• 24 wetlands• 2 major migratory routes• Weak vet services• Poor poultry related infrastructures

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

• States with only one outbreak = 9• States with more than 1 outbreak in 2007 = 17• LGAs with only one outbreak = 71• LGAs with repeat outbreak = 26

LAST 3 MONTHS States with outbreaks = 0 LGAs with outbreaks = 0

LAST CONFIRMED OUTBREAK Anambra East LGA (Anambra State) – 6th October, 2007

1st Human Case - Lagos (February, 2007)

COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT

• Low perceptions of risk • Low motivation of Nigerians to report cases• Poverty• Low Literacy in English• Traditional beliefs and customs• Rumours and mistrust of government efforts• Population• No. of indigenous languages• Weak capacity of communication partners• Cost of communication• No. of international borders• Large and diverse migrant groups

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• Awareness creation, Sensitization, and mobilisation

• Building capacity• Changing behaviour• Strengthening collaboration among

communication related agencies and partners

• Monitoring and Evaluation

TARGETS OF ACTIVITIES

• General Public• State Governments• LGAs• PAN – farmers• Poultry industry workers• Poultry service providers• Families with backyard poultry• Community, religious and traditional leaders• CBOs• Eateries• Migrant population• Youth (schools)

Vet., medical institutions and associations

CHANNELS

• Radio• Television• Internet• Traditional• Print• Outdoors• IPC• Promotionals

KEY PHASES

• Awareness• Sensitization• Inter-ministry/agency collaboration• Divesting/capacity building• Audience specific messaging• Message/material harmonization

MAJOR COMMUNICATION INTERVENTIONS

• AI National Communication strategy developed 2006 and shared

• NPEC set up and later in the States• Sensitization workshop for Commissioners, FICs, NOA,

States and LGAs• Set up of Team of 12 for rapid response and surveillance• PSAs with basic AI messages – separate, wash, cook, report

– immediately after first outbreak• Distribution nationwide of radio and TV jingles and IEC

materials in English and major local languages• Production and distribution of 5,000 copies of media kits• Interactive programmes on radio and TV stations

nationwide.• Development of website – www.aicpnigeria.org• Development of an AI logo.

Cont’d

Capacity Building• Training for over 400 media practitioners• Workshops for News and Programmes Directors from key

media organizations• Trained 200 trainers at Federal, State and LGA levels in

IPC, community dialogue• Community surveillance training for resource persons from

all the States as trainers• TOT manual developed on IPC, community dialogue,

surveillance • Training for all 37 State Communication Desk Officers on

AI communication• Workshop on AI messages and materials development

CHALLENGES• Nigerians are hearing AI messages but not ‘listening’• Promoting communication for change without creating fear or panic• Measuring impact of AI Communication activities• Improving motivation and trust especially arising from delayed

compensation• Socio-cultural challenges for livelihood and everyday existence• Lack of AH/HH infrastructures to encourage behaviour change• Tackling slow risk perception due to long held traditional practices• Achieving pandemic preparedness by all with similar responses• Achieving seamless collaboration between government and partners• Achieving better coordination between govt. agencies involved in AI • Identification and development of strategic social mobilization

activities for AI prevention and monitoring.• High rate of illiteracy

CONT’D

• Very inadequate resources for communication vis-à-vis cost of implementation of work plan and commercialization of media.

• Need to localize strategies and messages• Need for joint micro-planning and

implementation with partners• Avoiding public sensitization fatigue on AI• Appreciating crucial role of

communication in the fight against AI.

LESSONS LEARNT

• Communication is crucial to behaviour change and centripetal in multi-disciplinary fight against AI and sustenance.

• Need to assist SPECs build capacity in surveillance and sensitization

• Need to ensure effective risk and crisis reporting on AI

• Need to regularly review and develop messages.

WAY FORWARD

• Sustain interactive media programmes at all levels• Conduct regular KAP assessment to measure

progress against baselines• Build capacity of AI structures in the States/LGAs

and equip them to respond faster and more effectively.

• Develop more response community surveillance system

• Focus more on most vulnerable group – women and children

• Strengthening coordination between Federal, State, LGA and community communication activities

• Better funding commensurate with the importance of communication in the fight against AI

CONT’D

• Build on the high awareness level on AI attained

• Greater interest of political, religious, and traditional classes on health and livelihood issues

• Theatre for Development• Community animation• More use of modern communication system

e.g. Mobile telephone• Hook on numerous health-intervention

networks present.

THANK YOU