Accra, Nov. 28-:Dr. Da Costa Aboagye, Chair of the Public Health Risk Communication and Community Engagement Community of Practice for Africa (PH-RCCE-CoPA), says, there is an urgent need to prioritize financing Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) efforts across Africa.
Speaking at the 3rd International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 20230), he expressed concern about the lack of attention and inadequate financial commitments to RCCE interventions, despite their transformative impact on community behaviors during health crises.
The event highlighted the outcome of a critical meeting in Kampala, Uganda, where stakeholders unanimously stressed the need to prioritize RCCE activities and secure financial support.
Dr. Aboagye said most African countries lack dedicated national budgets for RCCE, relying heavily on external funding.
He called for a renewed commitment to advocating for robust financial resourcing and legal frameworks for RCCE pillars.
Some key topics discussed at the conference are, strengthening RCCE and Social Behavior Change leadership for enhanced coordination, developing a skilled RCCE workforce to bolster pandemic preparedness and response. The rest are, sharing experiences to identify gains and gaps in RCCE/SBC during outbreak responses, and integrating digital technology, including AI, into RCCE and SBC interventions for emergency response.
The International Conference on Public Health, is expected to pave the way for substantive dialogues and actions to fortify Africa’s resilience through comprehensive RCCE strategies, charting a course towards a more prepared and responsive healthcare system for the continent.
[Do Stay tuned to GhanaHealthNest for comprehensive coverage and insights from CPHIA 2023, focusing on transforming Africa’s public health landscape.]
