Overcoming fear, fake news and misinformation at a time of crisis
Our partners at Amani FM in Tana River County, eastern Kenya, report that rumours, fake news and misinformation about the Coronavirus, are causing fear and panic. They are working hard to ensure that good information is being disseminated, that constructive dialogue is happening and that community fears and concerns are being heard. Besides the radio station which covers the whole of Tana Delta, they are also using the powerful Una Hakika SMS text messaging system to send regular messages to their more than 10,000 subscribers.
Stigma
Apart from inappropriate health behaviours, stigma is often associated with the spread of diseases. We saw this with the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014/15. This week for example, in one town, there were reports of a man who was set upon by a mob, accused of bringing Covid-19 into his community.
Fear grows in a vacuum of information
In Pakistan, we’ve had reports that fake news and rumours abound. One leader assures that chanting versus from the Quran or saying prayers five times a day will make a person immune from the virus. The team there know that without the support and engagement of religious and community leaders, a public information campaign, no matter how good, will be ineffective.
Health infrastructure
For all the countries that we work in, in Africa and Asia, our biggest concern is that their health infrastructure will be overwhelmed, if the pandemic takes root among these communities. Inevitably the most vulnerable in these communities will be most affected. This is why community-centred media projects with community engagement at their core, will be vital to help reduce the impact of this Covid-19 pandemic.