from PEDRO AGOSTO in Luanda, Angola
Angola Bureau
LUANDA, (CAJ News) – ANGOLA is digitalising to make the most of digital platforms to combat a cholera outbreak that has claimed more than 700 lives this year.
The 769 deaths reported are from 27 609 cases of the water-borne disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), in partnership with the government, is responding to the scourge.
The latest intervention is the engagement of digital influencers to directly convey prevention messages to the public through social media.
In addition, WHO has recognised the importance of occupying the digital space with life-saving content, especially among young people, where incorrect information often circulates.
WHO has launched the digital campaign, “Together Against Cholera,” which featured six Angolan influencers, namely Aurea de Carvalho, Carla Morais, Xofela, Leocádia Tamara, Maria Correia, and Stela de Carvalho.
Six educational videos were produced and shared on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, with content focused on hygiene, sanitation, and public health.
“Digital has become the main channel of information for many young people, but it is also where a lot of misinformation circulates. We need to fill that space with content that saves lives,” João Carlos Domingos, WHO communications assistant in Angola, said.
According to WHO, monitoring data from its social media pages shows that the impact has been significant.
The videos exceeded 600 000 views, with an average of 3 353 likes, 100 shares and 70 comments per post, totaling more than 20 000 interactions, the agency stated.
Cholera, widespread in the continent, is borne out of ingesting contaminated food and water.
With the results of this campaign, the WHO in Angola intends to extend this strategy to other areas of public health, namely the prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis.
– CAJ News