Bunia, June 9th, 2026 (CPA).- Journalists from Bunia, in Ituri (north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo), have been trained in risk communication during health crises, during a session with experts from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), with a view to strengthening their capacity to deal with diseases with epidemic potential, particularly Ebola. “A strong coordination is essential to ensure a targeted and effective response in a health crisis. The communicators play a vital role in managing information and supporting response efforts within communities,” has declared Eric Kunenga, administrative manager at the Ministry in charge of Public Health.
He has suggested that risk communication relies on understanding how communities react to health crises, as well as on tailoring messages to the realities of the communities concerned, emphasising the need to disseminate reliable, accurate and real-time information in order to build trust between response teams and the public. During the session, discussions have also focused on identifying communities’ information needs.
However, the participants have highlighted the importance of understanding what information the public is seeking, what they actually need, and the sources they trust. The way response teams are perceived by communities and the various forms of resistance observed during health interventions were also discussed as factors to be taken into account when developing communication strategies. The communicators have been called upon to adopt an approach based on listening, empathy and dialogue with communities in order to convey clear, accurate messages tailored to the concerns of the affected populations.
The various speakers have, moreover, indicated that during a health crisis, communities must be regularly informed of developments in the situation, preventive measures, the level of risk, and the actions taken by those involved in the response. They have, however, acknowledged that crisis communication continues to face several challenges, notably the spread of rumours, fear, community resistance and difficulties in accessing care for certain sick individuals.
Despite these constraints, effective risk communication remains an essential tool in the fight against epidemics by encouraging the adoption of preventive behaviours and community adherence to response measures.