Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)
1) COVID-19 Hotline: Compared to the previous SitRep (13 May) the Hotline has experienced a 21% increase in the number of calls successfully managed. As of 25 May, the Hotline was successfully managing more than 4,500 calls per day. The majority of the calls are from individuals requesting general information on COVID-19. The composition of the calls is shown in the graph on the right.
2) U-Report platform
through its automated bot: 9,391people asked and received appropriate information on COVID-19 statistics, symptoms, spread mechanism, how to protect themselves and how to protect others, and myths.
Through its SMS center: 6,948 people exchanged information mainly about the progression of the epidemic and the measures taken by the Governament while, more than half of the audience was still enquiring about signs, symptoms and how to be protected from the disease.
Through the COVID-19 quiz: A new quiz was released in the aim to evaluate the improvement of the people knowledge. The results were compared to those of the previous quiz and showed an improvement in awarenss about COVID-19 (i.e. less poeple believed that COVID-19 is always lethal, that antibiotics are effective in preventing or treating COVID-19m and that a vaccine against COVID-19 exists).
Through sending key messages: 202,065 people received at least one key message such as “coronavirus is not always lethal”; “the best way to protect yourself and other is to respect the prevention measures”, etc.
3) Mass media Communication UNICEF trained 200 media professionals on prevention measures and warning signs of COVID-19. 253 radio stations and 60 TV channels have broadcast messages on COVID-19 in the 6 most affected provinces (Kinshasa, North Kivu, South Kivu, Kwilu, Kongo Central, Haut-Katanga and Ituri). More than 22 million people were reached with key messages on how to prevent COVID-19 through mass media channels.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).