Collaborative Workshop Aims to Develop a Robust Multi-Hazard Risk Communication Plan
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), with support from the FCDO Lafiya programme, has inaugurated a crucial three-day workshop to develop a comprehensive Multi-Hazard Risk Communication Plan for the State aims to enhance the state’s capacity for effective communication and coordinated response during public health emergencies.
In his opening.remark , the Director General of KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, underscored the critical role of accurate and timely information in safeguarding public health.
He emphasized the urgent need to combat misinformation and disinformation, which can undermine emergency response efforts.
“It is imperative that we constantly engage media houses to keep the public informed about any health issue that arises,”
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He further stressed the importance of developing a multi-hazard and multi-sectoral communication plan to ensure a unified and effective approach to risk communication in Kano State.
Rukayya Jafar Suleiman, the RCCE Lead, outlined the workshop’s key objectives, which include:
· Developing a comprehensive Multi-Hazard Risk Communication Plan aligned with the national NCDC’s framework.
· Creating media Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide effective media engagement, rumor management, and information dissemination.
· Enhancing coordination among key stakeholders and strengthening participants’ technical capacity in risk communication.
However a technical presentation was delivered by Dr. Maharaz, a consultant with FCDO Lafiya, who provided the international and national context for the plan.
He referenced the International Health Regulations and the NCDC’s Multi-Hazard Risk Communication Strategy.
Dr. Maharaz highlighted existing challenges, including the current lack of a multi-sectoral emergency risk communication plan and standardized SOPs between response agencies in the state.
To address these gaps, he presented a draft structure for the Kano State plan, which is organized into six chapters covering coordination mechanisms, community engagement strategies, and a budget framework for sustainability.
Following the presentations, participants engaged in focused group sessions, actively working to draft specific sections of the new communication plan.
Pulse Time Nigeria reports the workshop, which commenced at the R&K Hotel in Zaria, brings together 21 key participants from the KNCDC, FCDO Lafiya, the State Ministry of Health (SMoH), the State Primary Health Care Management Board (SPHCMB), and media organizations.
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control is the lead agency responsible for protecting the public’s health through the prevention and control of diseases in Kano State.