Crafting Ebola Prevention Messages in Uganda
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I work in CDC’s Special Pathogens Branch (SPB) where we study highly infectious viruses. My job is health communications and I’ve just returned from Uganda. I was there to work with the Ministry of Health and health educators from Uganda’s Western Districts to create materials that would help keep people there safe from Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers. Unfortunately, Uganda has seen more than its share of these diseases since the first cases were diagnosed in 1967.
Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fevers are rare and deadly diseases with no vaccine or cure. We’re not really sure how they’re passed from their animal hosts to humans, but we know that once someone gets Ebola or Marburg, it can pass from person-to-person by direct contact. Explaining the best ways to stay safe from exposure and how to stay healthy if the disease is present in their community is critical to preventing and controlling outbreaks.
For these particular diseases, we know that many outbreaks start in remote health care settings or happen when family and community members prepare a body for burial. We must get out the important messages of segregating these patients from others and using strict precautions for personal protection if you’re going to be in contact with someone with Ebola or Marburg.
In our meeting, my Ugandan colleagues and I spent three days developing messages and — most importantly — getting the view from the district level of what would work. We agreed to develop a series of six printed products targeted to different audiences. I’ll be spending the next few months developing brochures and posters, and following up with everyone to see how the materials are received.
It takes being on the ground where things are happening to understand what people need. My Ugandan colleagues made me very welcome and it was exciting for us all to combine our efforts to keep people healthy.
4 comments on “Crafting Ebola Prevention Messages in Uganda”
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To me i think the reason as why these diseases recur in the rural settings is b’se the health personnels in such areas are less informed about these rare cases and are always reluctant to inform the higher authorities. This explains why some of them (health workers)have died of the outbreaks.Mind you, these health facilities lack wll facilitated laboratories and if any,it lacks experienced laboratory personnel to run it and at the end of it all,the Nurses end up handling those cases as minor fevers.The policy of the gov’t in handling these cases are only reactive and not pro-active;there should be a continuous sampling of the suspected(or vulnerable)population.Conclusively,i suggest that a research be carried out to determine the seasonal pattern in which these outbreaks revolve(occur) and the behavoural activities of the population in question that could be favouring the re-occurrence of the epidemics. Thanks. (am a laboratory personnel-Uganda)
I think this website is very helpful. because i once had ebola.
Well I have just seen this web site and wondering whatelse you had in mind when it comes to awareness of diseases before they spread. I think small groups should be set up to make sure that people are aware of such diseases by informing them before it is to late.
Health promotion should be one of the keys to help people in the country. There should be a way the Health Department should start programmes that would go around both primary and secondary schools , universities and also make small groups in the communities to talk about health and diseases and its related topics and how such diseases can be privated. In our country uganda we have a problem of people saying that being fat is on fashion this is because they have not been told about the health problems that come with being fat. There need to be told about exercises, healthy diets, problems with eating fatty foods so that such diseases such as DIABETIES, LUNG CANCER , HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE could stop becoming a problem before it is to late. . I UNDERSTAND HIV and EBOLA AWARENESS IS IN PROGRESS BUT THE YOUNG CHILDREN ALSO NEED TO BE AWARE IN SCHOOLS. If the Uganda Health Department does not tell people of such problems then more unknown diseases will continue to kill people because of their ignorance.
I believe that once children understand about the diseases and their causes when they are still young they would be able to take care and stop all these bad habits. There are many ways of preventing such health problems in our country and health promotion in the communities Should be one of them.THANKS ( student of public health and social care in London.)
Nice job toward the message.