Appendix A. Activities & Interventions

Local mass media

• Develop radio and TV spots on Ebola (e.g., of community members speaking about how Ebola is real; do-able actions that protect from Ebola; survivors sharing what they have learned about Ebola; faith leaders discussing safe burial practices; health care workers promoting compassionate care and health seeking)
• Integrate Ebola into a multi-episode radio drama serial on MNCH
• Develop a radio distance-learning program for community health workers (CHWs) or community volunteers
• Produce radio call-in shows with Ebola as a health topic and an expert available to answer audience questions

• Increase awareness and knowledge of Ebola and how to protect from Ebola
• Increase acceptability of safe burial practices
• Depict role models practicing desired behaviors
• Stimulate social dialogue about everyone’s role in protecting from Ebola
• Answer listener questions to further dispel myths and provide accurate information
• Shift social norms around Ebola and reduce stigma

Households

Broader communities

Spots will also reach some health providers, faith leaders and political leaders

Print media

Develop/adapt:

• Brochures/leaflets on Ebola
• Stickers with a hotline number to remind households to call for help if they suspect Ebola
• Posters with illustrations that show signs and symptoms and how to protect from Ebola and encourage heath seeking
• Ebola protection action cards for community volunteers
• Circulars with religious justification on safe burials

• Increase awareness about Ebola
• Reminders with key information

Households

Community volunteers

Religious and traditional leaders

Digital media and mHealth

• Host an Ebola hotline (phone and/or SMS-based)
• Produce SMS service for Ebola information, reminders of when and where to go for help, encouragement
• Develop SMS messages reminding households of proper hygiene and sanitation practices with links to Ebola information and the hotline number
• Where appropriate, social media pages on Ebola
• Develop short video clips and short FAQs that model Ebola protection practices and education (accessible on basic and smart phones)

• Increase awareness
• Dispel myths and misconceptions
• Stimulate social dialogue
• Increase knowledge and skills

Households

CHW outreach

• Train CHWs to conduct community-based Ebola education and counseling
• Establish CHW radio listening groups for distance learning program
• Develop/adapt materials and job aids (practice dolls, flipbooks, pamphlets, checklists, referral cards, etc.) to provide guidance on Ebola and counseling, including problem solving
• Develop songs, logos, buttons, badges and other items that support the central positioning and promotion of acceptability

• Improve knowledge and skills
• Provide peer-supported learning opportunities
• Ensure quality counseling, education and referral
• Provide incentives

CHWs

Community approaches

• Hold community dialogues around Ebola
• Invite respected clergy and health professionals to speak and answer questions
• Use FBO events to promote safe burial practices
• Organize community events that promote actions that protect from Ebola as the norm and reduce stigma—such as community theater, etc.

• Encourage social dialogue on relevant Ebola topics
• Increase social support for health seeking and actions that protect from Ebola
• Decrease stigma
• Create/improve environment for cultural shift

Households

Communities

Peer Educators/ Champions

• Identify satisfied users as community advocates
• Coach peer educators/ champions on key messages
• Identify “everyday heroes” —e.g., grandmothers in the community who support improved hygiene and infection prevention practices and are helping to ensure the health of their families—and celebrate them at community events and through community and mass media
• Identify family members who have suffered the loss of a loved one to Ebola. After they are no longer infectious themselves, have them speak at community meetings, in mass media, at work where appropriate and one-on-one with their neighbors about how Ebola is real and what can be done to prevent its spread.

• Encourage social dialogue on preventing Ebola
• Increase social support for improved home hygiene

Women, grandmothers and other caregivers

Fathers and communities

Policy and guidelines

• Disseminate up-to-date guidelines for use at all health facilities
• Update monitoring and supervision tools to include Ebola indicators
• Twitter feed on Ebola, progress and lessons learned, and other relevant information

• Increase knowledge
• Ensure appropriate guidelines
• Ensure practice matches policy

Health district and facility decision makers and implementers

Pre-service, in-service, on-the-job and refresher training

• Integrate Ebola counseling into pre-service, in-service, on-the-job and refresher training (for all providers including doctors, nurses, midwives, physician assistants, CHWs and pharmacists)
• Build confidence of HWs in their ability to protect themselves from Ebola and other infectious disease through provision of and proper training with PPE and other infection prevention equipment and supplies

• Increase awareness and improve practice

Health providers

Digital/distance learning

• Develop short video clips and print FAQs that model education and counseling and can be disseminated via video, smartphones, tablets and online
• Create a toll-free network for HWs to be able to access accurate information, to discuss cases, and to receive counseling for themselves
• Use Twitter or other social media as a discussion forum to share program implementation ideas, problems and solutions

• Increase and refresh knowledge and skills

Health providers

Supervisors of CHWs

Other continuing education

• Offer Ebola counseling workshops and online courses that include up-to-date guidelines and best practices
• Disseminate updated Ebola job aids

• Increase awareness and improve practice

Professional associations for health providers