RBM Communications Assessment Challenges and Opportunities in Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda

Evaluation purpose Methodology Challenges Opportunities Community preferences Communication strategy - best practice Key considerations Next steps

Evaluation Purpose Institutional capacity Evaluation status Impact Strategic fit to RBM objectives Gaps and opportunities Donor support Regional strategies and activities Participatory capacity Role and impact of health information

Methodology Rapid appraisal - ten days in each country Semi-structured interviews Stakeholder workshops Focus group discussions Secondary source review materials

Challenges 1 Limited understanding and knowledge of development communications Absence of or basic malaria communication strategies Poor visibility of National Malaria Control Programmes Lack of regional coordination and information sharing

Challenges 2 Limited coordination and implementation capacity at sub-district level and below MoH departments responsible for health education have limited capacity Limited communications research and monitoring Lack of involvement of communities in defining needs and priorities

Challenges 3 Health communications monitoring and evaluation protocols not in place Poor planning and development of messages Continuum approaches to practice change not applied to communications programmes Limited strategies to meet the needs of very poor and marginalised groups

Opportunities 1 Commitment from partners to develop and implement communication strategies Community health volunteer structures in place Radio infrastructures provide national coverage Evidence of positive development and participation practice

Opportunities 2 Moderate capacity of private sector marketing organisations New and significant investment into the marketing and distribution of bed nets

Community preferences Local languages ‘People like us factor’ Accurate information Localized channels of communication Integrated approaches Causal relationships and continuum practice Relevant, affordable and practical

Communication Strategy - Best Practice Understanding the problems Building partnerships Strengths and weaknesses Building capacity Design considerations Strategic Framework Designing messages and dialogues

Key considerations How do we make RBM more visible? How do we strengthen the in-country partnerships? What are the needs and roles of communities, partners and technical support? How might WHO fulfill a broader advocacy role beyond the scope of RBM communications?

Next Steps 1 National level workshops are held to validate assessment findings and prioritize needs Strategies developed at RBM Geneva, Regional RBM networks and at national level Potential partners are identified

Next Steps 1 Process and outcome indicators are developed as part of a monitoring and evaluation framework Additional research is carried out into community information needs in-country Guidelines on carrying out communications assessment are developed