THE ROLE OF “COMMUNICATION “

ON THE FIGHT AGAINST AVIAN INFLUENZA -TURKEY’S EXPERIENCE-

CHRONOLOGY OF OUTBREAKS CHRONOLOGY OF OUTBREAKS

MANYAS OUTBREAK2005

• In 2005 Lake Manyas became the first place in which Avian Influenza was observed in Turkey.

• Avian Influenza was a disease that Turkey had not confronted before. Human fatalities in other countries from Avian Influenza caused fear and anxiety in Turkey.

MANYAS SUCESS

• The first stage in the struggle of Turkey with Avian Influenza was successfully handled.

• However, the second stage was more difficult, and pointed out the need for better

communication.

IĞDIR OUTBREAK- 2006

• A widespread AI outbreak occurred in Iğdır on January 2006 in Turkey.

• H5N1 virus was confirmed in 58 of Turkey’s 81 provinces

OUTBREAKS IN 2006

201 Backyard poultry outbreaks 30 Wild Birds outbreks

ATTITUDE OF MEDIA AFTER DEATHS TRIGGERED THE PANIC

…Marifet Kocyigit, who lost three children to bird flu this week, mourns over the grave of her son Muhammet in Dogubayazit. (By Murad Sezer -- Associated Press) .

MEDIA ATTITUDE

RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM

Responsible

Journalism .

AWARENESS ON NEED OF COMMUNICATION

• After the fatalities, Turkey immediately launched a professional public information campaign, including television spots and a 24-hour hotline, billboards, posters, brochures with the help of the private sector.

• Government web sites became an important source of current information, with daily postings of alerts and clinical management information for health practitioners.

PANIC MANAGMENT

• Turkey understood the necessity of Panic Management. Panic management was achieved through establishment of trust.

COMMUNICATION WORKING GROUP

STAKEHOLDERS• Ministry of Agriculture• Ministry of Health• Ministry of Environment • Ministry of National

Education• NGOs • World Bank• EU• FAO• UNICEF

• Private Sector • Nature foundations, • White Meat Industrialists

and Breeders Association • Turkish Egg Producers

Association

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY DOCUMENT BY COMMUNICATION

WORKING GROUP

Lessons Learned• Avoid panic! • Provide timely, accurate information• Importance of Public Awareness• Determine Target Audiences• Social and political support essential• Clarify mandates of different Ministries (who

speaks, consistent messages)• Become content provider for everyone involved• Have pre-prepared materials in place • Provide guidiance to press

YEAR 2007

YEAR 2008

PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES

Real Scale Simulation Exercises

On going Training Activities

International AI Conference

On going SCWG Meetings

HOTLINE: SABİM

WEB - PORTAL

• WB & USAID 5 pilot projects

1) Mobile Information Kiosks in Rural Markets2) Monitoring Spent Hen Trade3) Risk Reduction in Backyard Poultry4) Improving Risk Perception for Bio-Security for

Small And Medium Scale Egg and Broiler Enterprises

5) Avian Influenza Awareness for Users of Wetlands.

PILOT ACTIVITIESPILOT ACTIVITIES

1)Information Kiosks in Rural Markets

PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN 2008

PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN 2008

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS COMMUNICATION MATERIALS

PRODUCTION OF COMMUNICATION MATERIALS

PRODUCTION OF COMMUNICATION MATERIALS

LOGOLOGO

MAIN SLOGANMAIN SLOGAN

POSTERSPOSTERS

• TARGET AUDIENCE• HUNTERS / PRE AI• CHILDREN/ PRE AI• WOMEN / PRE AI• BROILERS AND SCE/ PRE AI• RURAL POPULATION / PRE AI• RURAL POPULATION/ DURING AI

 

SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE EGG AND BROILER

ENTERPRICES

SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE EGG AND BROILER

ENTERPRICES

FARMERS- RURALFARMERS- RURAL

FARMERSFARMERS

CHILDRENCHILDREN

HUNTERSHUNTERS

WOMENWOMEN

BROCHURESBROCHURES

• TARGET AUDIENCE

•HUNTERS / PRE AI•CHILDREN/ PRE AI•WOMEN / PRE AI•BROILERS AND SCE/ PRE AI•RURAL POPULATION / PRE AI•RURAL POPULATION/ DURING AI

 

FARMERSFARMERS

SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

CHILDREN / WOMENCHILDREN / WOMEN

HUNTERSHUNTERS

SPOT FILMSSPOT FILMS• TARGET AUDIENCE:

WOMEN- PRE AI CHILDREN- PRE AI RURAL POPULATION- PRE AI HUNTERS- PRE AI RURAL POPULATION- PRE AI

RURAL – GENERAL AUDIENCE – DURING AI RURAL -GENERAL AUDIENCE – DURING AI

GENERAL AUDIENCE – POST AI GENERAL AUDIENCE- POST AI

DOCUMENTARYDOCUMENTARY• A documentary to show combat of Turkey against

Avian Influenza was prepared.

• The benefit expected from such documentary is to recall the experiences of Turkey since the emergence of Avian Influenza, to get opinions of scientists, to use documents so as to show the magnitude of the danger and to produce an efficent document to ensure the following by especially individuals under risk.

• To learn the methods and ways so as to (i) prevent spread of the disase in animals, (ii) prevent human cases.

MEDIA KITMEDIA KIT

• To be distributed to members of Media, 1 Guideline for Journalists on Avian Influenza, 1 Archive Images CD (ready made images for journalists to prevent use of images from old pandemics), copies of spot films and documentary, handbag, blocknote and pen with the logo have been prepared.

GUIDELINE FOR JOURNALISTS

GUIDELINE FOR JOURNALISTS

AI COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

• Cooperation with Ankara University Communications Faculty.

• Deputy Undersecretary attended.

• Protocol was signed.

• Popular journalist gave a speech on Media Ethics.

• Aşıklar- Song

Present AI SituationPresent AI Situation

• The country has declared itself free from HPAI as from 14 July 2008

CURRENT SITUATION

• MOH leads communication efforts for response to the H1N1 pandemic.

• Rapid response in terms of communications (posters, brochures, tv, radio)

• Pre-prepared materials for AI and other diseases

Ministry of Health Website