Haertl - Effective public health communications during a nuclear emergency: lessons learned and best practices (World Health Organization)

7/31/2019 Haertl - Effective public health communications during a nuclear emergency: lessons learned and best practices (World Health Organization)

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Effective public health

communications during a nuclearemergencyLessons learnt and learning better

practicesGregory Hrtl, Zhanat Carr

International Experts Meeting on Enhancing Transparency and

Communication Effectiveness in the event of a Nuclear orRadiological Emergency 18.20 June 2012 Vienna, Austria


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Enhancing Transparency and Communication Effectivenessin the event of a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency18.20 June 2012 Vienna, Austria

Long ago and now seemingly far away

The IAEA-WHO 1959 Agreement Chernobyl

Credible numbers?

Heart vs. Head

=

Lasting legacy of distrust of what internationalorganizations say during a nuclear event


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The Solution = Transparency

SARS Outbreak Communications Guidelines

Trust, Transparency, Announcing Early, Listening, Planning http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/WHO_CDS_2005_32/en/

H5N1

=

We got better at being transparent/ announcingearly, thus building trust

http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/WHO_CDS_2005_32/en/


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We saw that communications was a publichealth tool

Equal in public health armoury to epidemiology, labdiagnostics, surveillance, clinical diagnosis and care, etc

Help potentially affected populations to take measuresto protect themselves quickly

E.g., Ebola, Cholera, Influenza (and later, Fukushima)


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Then came the 2009 influenza pandemic

Scaled up to 65 communicators divided into 7 teams Web, media, messaging, support, scheduling, etc

24/7 operations

250,000 stories written on WHO in English alone inthe first week

Basic use of social media


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We learned overnight

Emergency communications is not the same asroutine communications

It is a paradigm shift

Streamlined approval processes, supportmechanisms and above all different standards ofinformation gathering and dissemination areneeded


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What we did well

Daily, regular press conferences, with audio files andtranscripts posted immediately afterwards

Two web updates per day

Two sets of talking points per day

Media relations

Use of the web

Listening

Coordination with our Regional Offices


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Enhancing Transparency and Communication Effectiveness

in the event of a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency18.20 June 2012 Vienna, Austria

Where we failed

Coordinating with outside partners in the early,most intense days

Maintaining surge capacity

Reinforcing messages often and early

Reading social media tea leaves

And acting on this


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On to Fukushima

Immediately set up similar operation to thepandemic, but on a smaller scale

24/7 Messaging

Media Web Turnaround time Coordination with our Regions

Big difference: social media


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Challenges

Obtaining and translating technical information intolay language

Working effectively with other organizations

While seen to be retaining an independent, objectivevoice

Overcoming public mistrust


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Fukushima result: public interactions

Push transparencyCommunicate openly what we did and did not know

Emphasize public health aspects protectivemeasures, known, unknown consequences, etc

Constant web presence Front page of web, dedicated web-page, FAQs, situation

updates, joint fact sheet with FAO on food concerns

Media presence: interviews, written statements


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Fukushima result: social media

Constant monitoring of rumours

both in mainstreamand social media

Reacting to rumours/claims E.g., salt, seaweed, iodine, drinking water, food restrictions E.g., supposed radiation levels, claims of future cancer deaths

Reinforcing proper public health actions E.g., Japan took all correct public health actions in days

immediately after the accident Including in Japanese

= We were more nimble, more transparent, more

interactive


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Public messaging: examples

Do we need to take KI pill? Is it safe for breastfeeding mothers?We are expecting a baby, should we evacuate?

We import a product from Japan, is it safe?

Should we screen passengers/cargo/aircraft/ships arriving fromJapan?

Are implemented measures appropriate?

Should we cancel a championship scheduled to be held inTokyo?

What are the potential health effects of consuming contaminatedfood?

What actions are being taken to monitor the safety of food fromJapan?


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And the next time?

Build on social media successes, e.g., multiply protectivemessages, dispel rumours, reach local populations

Push for transparency

Use the time in-between events to prepare Develop materials Train in-house communications staff (surge capacity) Dialogue with journalists and the public to build transparency and trust Ensure good inter-agency/organization links and contacts are in place

beforehand and functioning

NB: need to balance cooperation with independence

Know that crisis communications will often become reputationalcommunications as the event goes on


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Thank you

Gregory Hrtl

Coordinator, Media Relations and News

Department of Communications

World Health Organization

Documents

Haertl - Effective public health communications during a nuclear emergency: lessons learned and best practices (World Health Organization)