A one-day risk communication and community engagement orientation had been held in Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality for sub-national stakeholders towards emergency health preparedness.

The Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) was through the Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies (SURGE) in Ghana.

Mr. John Maakpe, the Upper West Regional Health Promotion Officer, speaking at the function, called on the stakeholders at the district level to share any health-related information with the health authorities to ensure its authenticity to help arrest misinformation in the public space.

He said if that is done, it would avoid fear and panic among the people to save lives in the country.

He took the participants through the phases of risk communication preparedness, emergency and post-emergency phases.

The emergency committee was also taken through public health emergency preparedness and response, risk communication and community engagement, as well as misinformation/disinformation management. Additional scenarios were presented towards strengthening their capacities to deal with misinformation in the health sector.

Mr. Sule Chiemina, who spoke on behalf of the Sissala East Municipal Director of Health Services, said risk communication was a vital process within public health, disaster management and emergency response.

'It seeks to enable individuals, communities and organizations to make informed decisions about how to mitigate or respond to risks should they arise,' he said.

Mr. Stephen Anaman, a public health officer in the promotion unit, said the emergency sub-committee was revived to coordinate the activities of risk communication within the Municipality.

He appealed to the agencies to increase collaboration among them as that would ensure easier detection and containment of health risk issues.

He said: 'It's their mandate to meet regularly, draw plans that would help them share their diverse experience to advocate and disseminate the right information for the health sector.'

The emergency committee included the Police, the Immigration Service, the Ambulance service, the Food and Drugs Authority, the media, the Fire service, and the Water Board.

Others are the Ghana Education Service, Zoomlion, religious groups and traditional authorities.

The programme was organised by the Ghana Health Service with support from the World Health Organisation.

Source: Ghana News Agency