repackage health information- ZCCP

From CHALI MULENGA in Livingstone

 Zambia Centre for Communication Programmes (ZCCP) says repackaging of health messaging when communicating to particular audiences is critical.   

ZCCP executive director, Johans Mtonga said the way the health messages were being packaged was a challenge as the intended audiences were sometimes left out.

“The packages of health information for target audiences between 12 and 18, the packaging is for them to avoid unprotected sex but they are those that practicing unprotected sex, what should be their message,” he said. 

He was speaking during the graduation ceremony of 17 participants of the leadership in strategic health communication at New Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone,  Mr Mtonga said this challenge as resulted into some of the children finding themselves on the other side of the situation by getting pregnant.

He said this same young when they go to collect condom they are denied the chance to access as they are too small young to engage in sex.  

Mr Mtonga said there is also need to ensure that the people are told on the benefits of having protected sex.

“The messages leaves out secondary target audience of the boys, the teacher and the same message must also focus on the parents to bring out issues of assertiveness,” he said.

Mr Mtonga said that young girls look to others to stop early unprotected sex as it is clear from the high numbers of teen pregnancy in the country that there is a lot peer pressure to engage in unprotected sex.

“This is the biggest challenge as the young girls look to others to stop early unprotected sex,” he said.

 “There is need to critically look at the policy of not giving condoms to teens so that it can be changed the high number of pregnancies shows that the teens are having unprotected sex and they are stimulated by bad vices,” he said.

 He called on increased partnership for coming up with the right messages for the people in the country.

Mr Mtonga said the pre testing of the messages should also improve so that the people should be able to get the right messages.

“There is need for key partnership in communicating health messages as there is power in partnership,” he said.

 He said the church preaches abstinence but to what extents has it helped to prevent pregnancies in the society. 

And  Livingstone district commissioner  Omar Musanje said the certificate is intended for mid level and senior level health and communications professionals.
  
He said this in a speech read on his behalf by district administrative officer Harriet Kawina, he  said  the importance of health communication, a skill that can be learned and can be effectively used to help make informed decisions about their health and well being.   

"Medicine is made up of three branches namely the word ,the herb and the knife the biggest and most important is of three is the word. it is through effective communication that  the word is inflated and the pressure already existing on the health care system is reduced through effective promotion ," he said.   

 The leadership in strategic health communication course offered by the John Hopkins Bloomberg school of public health centre for communication programmes (JHU CCP) 

 End