Morogoro: In a significant stride toward strengthening Tanzania’s health emergency preparedness, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and funding from UK in Tanzania, conducted a two-day Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) training workshop. 

The workshop brought together 50 key actors from 23 regions, including regional and district health promotion coordinators, animal health and disease surveillance officers, and Ministry officials, with the goal of addressing long-standing capacity gaps in risk communication and community mobilization at the subnational level.

The urgency of this initiative was informed by a national Training Needs Assessment carried out in December 2023 by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), supported by WHO. Of the 197 RCCE focal persons surveyed, only 21.3% had received formal training in RCCE, leaving over 80% of district-level and nearly 60% of regional-level actors untrained. 

“Despite being on the frontlines of community health, many of us had never received structured RCCE training. This workshop is a game-changer for us,” said Mr. Evaristo Mwinuka, Health Promotion Coordinator from Singida region.

The training adopted an interactive and participatory approach, combining lectures, case scenarios, breakout group discussions, and live demonstrations. Participants were equipped with critical tools such as the RCCE Readiness Toolkit, the Crisis and Emergency RCCE Toolkit, rapid assessment templates, and bilingual Mpox training materials. These tools will enable regional teams to plan and execute evidence-based RCCE interventions tailored to their local contexts.

Assessment results showed a significant improvement in knowledge following the training. Before the workshop, only 63.6% of participants had received some form of RCCE training while 36.4% had not received any form of RCCE training, and just 25% could clearly articulate the objectives of infodemic management. After the training, 100% of the participants demonstrated improved understanding of RCCE concepts, and comprehension of infodemic management rose to 56%. Additionally, during the pre-test assessment, 2.2% of participants were not sure of what is the most effective intervention that changes behavior while 79.1% had limited knowledge of using behavioral science to change behavior. But after the training, all participants had relatively increased their knowledge towards identifying most effective intervention that change behavior. 

“It was encouraging to see the leap in awareness, especially regarding the application of behavioral insights in health communication,” said Mr. Jerry Mlembwa, WHO RCCE Facilitator. “Participants moved from passive messaging approaches to understanding how behavior is influenced by structural and psychological factors, which is essential for designing impactful interventions.”

Participants also reflected positively on their improved grasp of the importance of timely communication during emergencies.

“Previously, we focused more on general health education,” said Mr. Mawazo Erick Haule, Regional Health Promotion Coordinator from Njombe region. “Now I understand the critical role of community engagement, how to manage misinformation, and integrating behavioral sciences to fight disease outbreaks. This knowledge is going to make a huge difference in how we work on the ground.”

The training did not only enhance technical knowledge but also inspired a strong sense of ownership and momentum among participants. According to Mr. Oscar Kapera, RCCE focal point from the Ministry of Health, “This training is a step toward institutionalizing RCCE within the health system. Our next goal is to scale this effort nationwide and ensure that all coordinators, regardless of region or council, have access to these tools and the know-how to apply them.”

Participants shared several recommendations to enhance future trainings and improve RCCE implementation. These included extending the training period to allow more in-depth engagement with content, integrating RCCE into the Ministry’s annual training plans, developing a mentorship and follow-up mechanism, and ensuring that all RCCE officers have access to standardized tools and reporting frameworks. There was also strong support for expanding the training to other sectors, including water, livestock, education, and media. “Risk communication isn’t just a health sector responsibility,” noted Mr. Zakayo Mwaitosya, Animal Health Officer from Songwe region. “We need a multisectoral approach to reach communities with consistent and actionable information.”