Moderator: information, education, and communication dissemination efforts.
deaths, CBVs
DISEASE
Respondents generally attributed strong community understanding about COVID-19 to widespread sensitization efforts that began soon after the pandemic was declared (Methods and content of COVID-19 information, education, and communication dissemination to remote communities by qualitative theme and respondent typeTeach whenever community gathers: at the health center, health outreach, schools, and churchesEducate other community leaders: involve CBVs, religious, civic, and traditional leaders to disseminate information in their villagesTeach whenever community gathers: at church, schools, and other community meetingsLead by example: along with explaining guidelines, encourage others to follow by showing yourself following guidelinesEducation sessions during community gatherings: at the health center, health posts, churches, schools, community meetings.Radio: announcements and government messagingProvide basic information: education on disease signs, symptoms, and prevention methods; distribute IEC materialsTeach about prevention and self-protection: Explain spread, prevention methods, and high-risk activities; warnings about lack of cure and deadliness of diseaseTaught basic information: existence of COVID-19 and prevention methods; deaths in Zambia and internationally; government messagingIllustrative quotes
“We [health center staff] are using the community-based volunteers too…We equip them and then we send them out to go and teach on our behalf. We [health center staff] have also gone in all the schools to teach the school staff, to teach the pupils on the preventive measures and what COVID-19 is all about. We also involved the pastors, the church leaders, and the civil and the civic leaders that is the counsellors and the headmen and the alike. We had to bring them together teach them on COVID-19 so that they could also help us disseminate the information in the communities. ” – Health center staff, male, Kalomo district, round 1“Wherever there are gatherings the message about COVID-19, I do not leave it out when talking. When we gather… even in churches, I am one of those sensitizing about COVID-19. Wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing, not holding hands, not greeting. So we spread this message well.” – Community-based volunteer, female, Pemba district, round 1“Information about COVID-19 is spread whenever you gather or if there is a meeting. Wherever we gather, they announce that this disease kills.” – Community member, female, Kalomo district, round 1“We first heard in the radios that there is COVID-19. Then from the radio, then again the health personnel came and also told us. Then, when the health personnel finished telling us, they started moving in the churches, and in schools, saying if the children should not be using masks, then the schools will be closed. So, that’s when we started seeing that COVID-19 is really there. That’s how we heard the message.” – Community member, male, Pemba district, round 2“I heard that in Lusaka and in Monze that people have died of Covid-19. I heard on the radio they were announcing.” – Community member, female, Pemba district, round 2Many community members also discussed hearing about COVID-19 through announcements on the radio. They reported learning about the existence of COVID-19, hearing news reports about deaths from COVID-19 in Zambia and internationally, and hearing government messaging about prevention.