What is RCCE?
Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) focuses on engaging the affected communities in taking informed decisions based on facts and evidence to reduce adverse health effects and better protect themselves from risky behaviours.
During an emergency, RCCE works by delivering clear, accurate, and timely information about the risks and necessary actions to the public. It ensures that people understand the situation, know how to protect themselves, and can make informed decisions.
Additionally, RCCE involves engaging with communities directly, involving them in the planning and implementation of response strategies. By working closely with community leaders and organizations, RCCE helps tailor the response to the specific needs and cultural contexts of the community, fostering trust and cooperation. This approach strengthens the overall effectiveness of the emergency response by ensuring that interventions are well-received and supported by the community.
Why is RCCE important?
In conflict settings, trust is often damaged, leading to scepticism and resistance to public health interventions. This mistrust might emerge between communities and other parties such as NGOs, international organizations, or local partners; and within communities. RCCE works to rebuild this trust by engaging local leaders, tailoring messages to the community’s specific concerns, and fostering two-way communication to ensure that people feel heard and understood. By focusing on transparent, culturally sensitive communication and building relationships within the community, RCCE helps restore confidence in public health efforts, making emergency responses more effective.
RCCE at UK-Med
UK-Med has a significant investment in the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) pillar of our emergency response efforts. Recognizing the vital role that RCCE plays in the success of health interventions during crises, we have developed a specialized roster of RCCE professionals who are always on standby, ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice.
Whether responding to an outbreak, natural disaster, or conflict, the RCCE team within UK-Med is instrumental in building trust with local communities. This trust is essential not only for delivering effective healthcare but also for ensuring that individuals feel safe and confident in seeking our help. By fostering open communication and engaging communities directly, our RCCE specialists help create an environment where people are informed, understood, and supported. This in turn ensures that our responses are not only swift but also deeply attuned to the needs and dynamics of the communities we serve.
As we continue to face increasingly complex global health challenges, UK-Med remains dedicated to enhancing our RCCE capabilities, ensuring that we can deliver the highest standard of care to those who need it most.
RCCE in Gaza
In Gaza, UK-Med’s commitment to RCCE is exemplified by the work of 11 trained community mobilizers who play a crucial role in bridging the communication gap between affected communities and healthcare providers. These mobilizers collect and address weekly feedback, ensuring that the voices of community members are heard, and their concerns addressed.
Our RCCE team in Gaza is actively engaged on the ground through outreach programs designed to connect with local communities and spread awareness about who UK-Med is, what we do, and why we are there. As of July 2024, we have reached 72,637 community members. Through open communication, our staff gain valuable insights into the main health concerns within these communities, enabling us to tailor our support to better meet their needs.
Some of the key RCCE initiatives in Gaza have included promoting awareness of health services, addressing community-specific concerns, and ensuring that our interventions are both culturally sensitive and responsive to the unique challenges faced by these communities. Below are some examples:
- Health promotion materials on working schedules and services provided to ensure that displaced individuals are informed about services that are available to them.
- Nutrition programme for women and children
- A new blood donation campaign in partnership with the Palestinian Blood Bank and the Gaza Ministry of Health
- Setting up film and popcorn mornings on the children’s ward to help children reclaim a sense of normality and joy in a conflict zone.
- Recreational and psychological support activities for patients during Eid al-Adha
These activities are essential in our role as health care humanitarians and allow us to provide support more effectively in a safe and trustworthy environment.
