Let's talk! Harnessing the power and influence of the media to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination in Zambia

Title

Let's talk! Harnessing the power and influence of the media to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination in Zambia

Presenter

Mwansa Njelesani

Authors

M. Njelesani * (1), J. Phiri (1), K. Kalangwa (2), M.P. Bobo (2), R. Chilengi (3,3), B. Siulanda (1), S. Hatchard (1), M. Paulson (4), M. Musonda (4), M. Chikuba-McLeod (1), M. Nyumbu (1)

Institutions

(1) JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Lusaka, Zambia, (2) Ministry of Health (MOH), Lusaka, Zambia, (3) State House, Lusaka, Zambia, (4) United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Zambia Mission, Lusaka, Zambia

BACKGROUND: With a vaccination coverage of 12.5% (30 November 2021), the Zambian government introduced new COVID-19 vaccination guidelines, including requiring COVID-19 vaccination for public-sector workers and proof of vaccination for individuals wishing to gain access to public buildings, unleashing a storm of protest from anti-vaxxers. This happened at the beginning of a national COVID-19 December Drive, intended to rally the country to achieve two million doses-in-arms by year-end.
DESCRIPTION: To mitigate the growing anti-vax push, the JSI-implemented USAID DISCOVER-Health Project supported the Zambian President''s COVID-19 Advisor (COVID-Czar) to date the media in all ten provincial capitals to explain government policy, answer media questions, and address public concerns. In a marathon tour, the COVID-Czar and senior MOH staff explained GRZ vaccination policy, addressed concerns about the Omicron variant and vaccine effectiveness, and urged Zambia to get vaccinated. In addition to engagements with the media, in each locality, the team went on local radio/television stations, engaging directly with citizens about vaccines. They responded to questions about vaccine safety, addressed myths/misconceptions, and visited vaccination-points to observe/learn about service-delivery experiences. The COVID-Czar directly engaged 650 people during the tour, including 90% of media houses nationwide, in addition to religious, traditional and civic leaders. His radio and TV appearances were replayed nationally, reinforcing community-level vaccination efforts and significantly increasing vaccine uptake.
LESSONS LEARNED:

An informed and supportive media is a powerful tool in public health interventions that require public buy-in and participation.
Public health officials must connect directly with the public in order to understand vaccine rollout challenges and effectively/speedily address them.
Direct engagement with civic, religious and traditional leaders harnesses their influence for increased vaccination uptake.

CONCLUSIONS: Quick and comprehensive interventions by technical experts, including through engaging and obtaining the buy-in of the media and influential leaders, are a highly effective way to address people''s concerns about COVID-19 vaccines and inform and reassure the public about government measures to protect them, their loved ones, and the country. This intervention neutralized the anti-vax voice helping the country to reach its target of vaccinating 2 million people by December 2021.

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