Community engagement is a participative process of communicating with, learning from and working with other people to find solutions for an issue affecting society.
During an outbreak, community engagement seeks to establish alliances around the common goal of protecting everyone to ensure:
The interventions adopted are practical and their social harms (such as disruptions to daily lives) are considered and mitigated;
Stakeholders take ownership of the interventions and work with the government in controlling the spread of the disease;
Disease control responses are effective and efficient.
For more information about the goals and principles of community engagement during COVID-19 read the global Risk Communication and Community Engagement Response Strategy adopted by the World Health Organisation and its partners.
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Editor's note
Author: Jennifer Palmer
Review: Sian White, Eva Niederberger, Sheillah Simyu, Jenala Chipungu
Last update: 11.05.2020