Participants

Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brasil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador El Salvador Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenedines, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, CDC, HHS, IDB, IICA, USAID.

Goals

• Train a group of professional communication personnel in risk and outbreak communication strategies so they in turn can serve as trainers to prepare a coordinated communication response for avian/pandemic influenza.
• Enhance national capacity for a quick, transparent and coordinated communication response.
• Build a network of risk communicators who share ideas, messages and strategies.

Conclusion

• Increased understanding of the importance of the five key principles in Outbreak Communication and having a communication preparedness plan
• Strengthened the collaboration between communication officers
• Brought together countries and sub-regional networks
• Facilitated renewed contact and inter-action between communicators in MoHs and WHO country offices