COVID-19 Emergency Risk Communication Practices and Challenges in Ethiopia

Abstract

This research was intended to identify the existing problems regarding the practice of Public Health Emergency Risk Communication in Ethiopia in response to COVID-19 by examining the communication practices in the process of fighting the pandemic. An exploratory research design has been applied for the study. Using key concepts, data have been gathered from publicized news, press releases, messages publicized, and advertisements about COVID-19 from the websites and online versions of selected media and institutions. Face to face and telephone interview has been held with selected experts from FMOH/EPHI and editors in media organizations. Data were gathered and transcribed and actions, opinions or concepts were „labeled, „coded‟ or „indexed‟ with key words or phrases and then categorized and analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that the government has made appreciable efforts to contain the threats of the pandemic through designing emergency risk communication schemes and strategies, yet, there are major gaps. The emergency risk communication plan itself suffers a number of shortcomings. In addition, the PHERC strategies employed have gaps as a bulk of messages disseminated through a host of diverse media outlets have been publicized with major gaps in their effectiveness in achieving public health emergency risk communication targets. Furthermore, the PHERC strategy has been facing a serious challenges to correct infodemics mainly due to its rapid and uncontrollable nature and as a result of its fast and automatic spread through the social media.