Risk communication and community engagement (‎RCCE)‎ considerations

Overview

This document was developed by the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme as a resource for the response to the Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2018.
It is intended to be used to guide risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) work which is central to stopping the outbreak and preventing its further amplification. Unlike other areas of response, RCCE draws heavily on volunteers, frontline personnel and on people without prior training in this area. As such, the document provides basic background information, scopes the socio-economic and cultural aspects (that are known at the time of publication), and provides the latest evidence-based advice and approaches based on WHO’s Guideline: Communicating Risk in Public Health Emergencies, 2018.
The document also annexes a checklist for RCCE considerations in all pillars of the response, from surveillance and contact tracing to clinical care and safe and dignified burials.
The document was developed during the response by Dr Gaya Gamhewage, Manager, Support for Response, Ms Aphaluck Bhatiasevi, Technical Officer, Risk Communication and Community Engagement for WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, Ms Mara Frigo, Technical Officer, Ms Melissa Attias, Consultant, and Ms Shalini Singaravelu, Consultant.