The United Republic of Tanzania has been vulnerable to several disease outbreaks for decades. Recently, the country has faced several public health emergencies including COVID-19, Leptospirosis, Marburg, Measles, and Cholera. The reported cases of Ebola Virus Disease in the neighbouring countries have constantly threatened the lives of thousands of people in the country requiring strict measures and mechanisms to halt cross-border transmissions.

The International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities emphasize key areas including detecting, assessing, notifying and reporting events, and responding to public health risks and emergencies of national and international concern. Risk Communication as one of the core capacities reiterates that mechanisms for effective risk communication during public health emergencies are established and functioning to ensure that at-risk and affected communities have access to timely life-saving information to protect themselves and their loved ones.  

From the previous public health emergencies, a national Risk Communication and Community Engagement coordination platform was established and operationalized to coordinate tailored interventions across all spectrums. The health agenda has solely been driven by the health sector alone with minimum engagement of diverse community groups and other sectors engaged to regularly promote life-saving information using existing networks and platforms. 

To establish a platform that will enhance the active participation of local communities and build community resilience to public health emergencies, World Health Organization has collaboratively worked with the Ministry of Health to operationalize a total of 32 regional and district multisectoral Risk Communication and Community Engagement committees in four regions of Tanga, Pwani, Geita and Manyara with 1,440 members trained and engaged. 

With WHO technical and financial support, the committee members were oriented on their roles and responsibilities, the functionality of the committees and an overview of public health emergencies.

Speaking from a meeting in Simanjiro district council, Mussa Waziri, the district administrative secretary applauded WHO and the Ministry of Health on establishing a multisectoral committee that brings on board all sectors, actors, and diverse community representatives to enhance and sustain the promotion of life saving information. “This is the first time where all actors are brought on board to speak with one voice on health-related issues in our district. We should not take this opportunity for granted to save the lives of our communities. We appreciate all efforts taken by the WHO and the Ministry of Health to ensure that Simanjiro is among the selected districts to implement this initiative”, he said.

This has been emphasized by the district commissioner in Bukombe district, Said Nkumba, who hailed the established Risk Communication and Community Engagement Committee members to build community resilience through the promotion of life-saving information against public health emergencies. “For our communities to be safe, I urge all committee members to sincerely dedicate their time and efforts to raise public awareness against public health emergencies using existing networks and platforms to help our communities stay safe from disease outbreaks”, said Nkumba.

From the religious point of view, Pastor Peter Golugwa from Tanzania Assemblies of God at Mbulu district commended WHO and the Ministry of Health for establishing committees that involve people from different sectors to facilitate tame education across the board. “If we all take action and speak about the same issue across all networks and platforms, we will be able to change negative practices within our communities and therefore prevent disease outbreaks and keep our communities safe,” said Golugwa.

Mr Jerry Mlembwa, the Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer at WHO  re-echoed the need for all actors to remain connected and committed to promoting life-saving information to keep all of us safe from disease outbreaks. 
“Health agenda should be driven by all sectors beyond the health sector to effectively prevent public health events. We cannot be safe until we are all safe and this requires all of us to take action towards promoting life-saving information,” said Mlembwa. 

The establishment of these committees is a stepping stone towards building community resilience to prevent and respond to public health emergencies. Through these platforms, the committee members are expected to sustain Risk Communication and Community Engagement interventions by developing and implementing relevant strategies and plans, monthly awareness activity calendar and message guide for the promotion of positive practices and behaviours. WHO in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners will continue to provide technical support and monitor the functionality of these committees to save lives.