This opinion piece was first published in Jornal de Angola, a copy of which can be found here: https://www.jornaldeangola.ao/noticias/9/opini%C3%A3o/644879/comunica%C3%A7%C3%A3o-que-salva-vidas:-um-apelo-%C3%A0-ac%C3%A7%C3%A3o-em-angola

By Olívio Gambo, WHO Angola Communication Officer

Imagine an Angola where all citizens, from the youngest to the oldest, have access to clear, reliable, and useful information on how to take care of their health. A country where communities come together to prevent disease, promote healthy habits, and support each other in difficult times. A country where health communication is not just a response to crises, but a daily practice that promotes the well-being of all. This is possible, and it starts with how we communicate.

Health communication is much more than a technical tool. It is a bridge between knowledge and action, between health systems and people, between fear and hope. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have learned that the right information at the right time can save lives. However, we have also seen that silence, rumours, and misinformation can have serious consequences.

What if every radio station, every Facebook page, every WhatsApp group, and every conversation between neighbors were an opportunity to share knowledge, combat myths, and inspire positive change? Today, more than ever, communication is essential to transforming realities and saving lives.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that health communication be continuous, evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and people-centred. Countries such as Senegal, Vietnam, and Brazil demonstrate that collaborative networks of communicators, including journalists, community leaders, digital influencers, traditional healers, and health professionals, can transform the way populations relate to public health. Instead of waiting for crises, these countries invest in preventive, educational, and participatory communication.

In Angola, we have a solid foundation for transforming health communication into an effective and strategic practice. We have local radio stations, television channels, newspapers, mobile phones, social media, religious and community leaders, and creative young people with a strong digital presence. In addition, the country already has a history of successful health communication campaigns, such as vaccination campaigns and coordinated responses to health emergencies. The current challenge is to strengthen and institutionalize communication as a continuous, structured, and integrated practice capable of supporting disease prevention, promoting healthy behaviors, and protecting the health of the population.

On 20 August, the Ministry of Health, with the support of the WHO, UNICEF, and the European Union, will take an important step by bringing together media professionals at CEFOJOR (Angola Center of Journalist Training) for a training session aimed at launching the Network of Health Communicators in Angola. This network will be a space for collaboration and joint action aimed at ensuring that communication becomes a permanent ally of public health.

However, this mission is not only for communicators. How can we contribute? a) Share accurate information with your family and neighbors; b) Check sources before forwarding messages on social media; c) Support health campaigns in your community; and d) Use your voice, whether as a leader, journalist, influencer, teacher, or citizen, to promote healthy behaviors.

For health communication to be effective, it must be present at all levels of society. The government can invest in sustained campaigns and ongoing training for institutional and community communicators. Schools can include health education in their curricula. Families and churches can be spaces for dialogue and sharing reliable information.

In Angola, we have all the necessary elements to transform communication into a real force for change, not as a one-off or merely reactive action, but as a continuous, strategic practice integrated into health systems. We have a diversity of media, local creativity, a willingness to change, and committed partners. What we need now is to strengthen political and civic commitment, join forces, value collaboration, and believe in the power of words, writing, and images as tools to promote health, save lives, and strengthen collective well-being.

Join the movement that puts communication at the service of health and well-being for all. Because communicating is caring. And caring is transforming. Angola needs all of us.