COVID-19: 70 doctors trained to support risk communication and public education

Vodafone Ghana Foundation in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, has trained some medical practitioners in the country on relevant disciplines to support government’s risk communication and public education campaign on COVID-19.

The one-day training programme which was held on Wednesday, April 8, was led by the head of the National Risk Communication and Social Mobilization Committee of COVID-19, Dr. DaCosta Aboagye, who doubles as the Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service; and comprised 70 doctors and some supporting staffs.

The aim of the training, according to Dr. DaCoasta, was to broaden the knowledge and understanding of the medical professionals in COVID-19 to promote public education, assess and direct calls appropriately to the surveillance and case management teams as necessary.

Owing to the many materials making rounds on social and traditional media purporting to educate the public on the pandemic, some of which may be misleading, Dr. DaCosta stressed the need to use only developed and approved materials from the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for purposes of public education towards the fight against COVID-19.

He informed the participants that the Health Promotion team of the Ghana Health Service has developed special materials in the form of posters, leaflets, banners, pull ups and billboards for this purpose, and encouraged relevant organizations wishing to customize same to do so with approval from his outfit.

The Director of Health Promotion of the Ghana Health Service explained that effective communication using media tools will help create public awareness and the necessary behavioral change in the fight against COVID -19.

Finally, he sensitized the doctors on how to handle the emergency call centre(112 ), the Vodafone foundation medical help line (255)  for COVID 19 related emergency and (311) for general information on COVID 19.