FrontPageAfrica, one of Liberia’s leading dailies, reported on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, that a COVID_19 positive has gone into hiding due to fear of social stigma. This jaw-dropping, unacceptable development is an urgent call-to-action for massive sensitization and public education directed at flattening the coronavirus curve.
By Fatoumata Nabie Fofana, [email protected]
The action of this COVID_19 positive reminded me of how certain diseases are treated with much reproach in certain parts of Liberia, and elsewhere across Africa. Take for instance the case of diabetes. Individuals diagnosed with this disease are blamed and stigmatized, instead of being shown or showered with sympathy. No wonder most diabetics, in this part of the world, keep their conditions pretty much to themselves. They never speak about it. They never follow through with treatment plans or test their glucose in public. To top it off, there is this blame-the-victim feeling that further compels patients to go into hiding. Good thing diabetes isn’t a communicable disease as it is with coronavirus. With its rapid transmission rate, soaring infection and death tolls, COVID_19 isn’t anything to hide or joke with.
The point is, coronavirus plus social stigma is a risky combo, and it would be a deadly mistake should government ignore these signs. With COVID_19 positives going into hiding, contact tracing will be rather impossible; further increasing the rate of transmission among community members. We can’t afford this. The stigma has to stop, and one way to go about that is to ensure that the right message is designed and delivered at the right time, to the right person, through the right channel. This is the only way to strengthen public awareness, as well as reduce societal-induced stigma associated with the virus.
Unfortunately, up until now, the Liberian government’s approach to information dissemination about this pandemic has been inconsistent and uncoordinated. For example, the government is yet to exercise leadership on whether or not to disclose identifiers (such as names) of individuals testing positive for coronavirus. But that’s just a drop in the bucket as it relates to government’s overall response to this public health emergency.
Granted, COVID_19 has left nothing untouched. But people need to be educated about the fact that not all coronavirus positives end up dying. At the moment, more than 300,000 people have recovered globally (source: JHC). Besides, in Liberia, three coronavirus-infected persons have recovered, as reported by the country’s National Public Health Institute (NPHIL). But what really puzzles me, though, is how this win against the killer virus isn’t getting the level of spotlight it deserves. In addition to preventive measures, developing targeted messages around this win will pave the way to educating the public about the fact that coronavirus can be defeated. It will also help to dispel social stigma associated with the virus. It all boils down to effective information dissemination.
The Weah-administration needs to understand that in these times of uncertainty, accurate, timely, consistent, coordinated communication is critical to building and sustaining trust and credibility. Public health officials and the government’s communications arm must coordinate their efforts to avoid reinventing the wheels, as well as reduce unnecessary inter-agency fights. Simply put, speak with one voice; the back and forth is only a waste of everyone’s time.
The government also needs to consider mapping out groups with direct links or relationships with communities to partner with as part of its response efforts. For instance, faith-based organizations, among many other community-based groups, are in a better position to effectively engage their constituents and better disseminate targeted messages. Targeted messages must be developed around such topics as what this virus is, how it is transmitted, as well as healthy habits, including hand hygiene, social distancing, to help limit the spread of infection. These groups are also in a better position to effectively counter conspiracy theorists bent on distracting our people from doing the right thing to limit the spread of COVID_19. Identify and empower such groups with needed tools and services to enable them robustly lead the fight from the grassroots.
Moreover, it is imperative to use daily, live briefings to keep the country informed and consistently engaged during this period. The current screamingly colorful dashboard being used by the NPHIL needs to be backed up with live interactive sessions to allow the press, and public to have a say through Q&As. Basically, stop being robotic and add a human touch to your public engagement efforts during this period, and beyond. Engage communities and empower them to strengthen your fight. Afterall, together, we can defeat COVID_19 and its associated stigma.