Risk Communication and Community Engagement Readiness and Response Toolkit: Dengue Fever

"Experience has shown us that countries that systematically ready their health and emergency systems can respond more quickly, cohesively and equitably to a threat or emergency, shortening their duration, curbing their impact and ultimately saving lives."

This toolkit offers a set of practical tools and resources designed to support country-level risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) practitioners, decision-makers, and partners to plan and implement readiness and response activities for outbreaks of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral infection common in warm, tropical climates that can sometimes be fatal.

The toolkit defines risk communication as "the real-time exchange of information between decision-makers, experts and populations exposed to a hazard or imminent threat to their survival, health, or economic or social well-being." Community engagement is defined as "the process of developing trusted relationships and structures that engage communities as important partners in the creation of emergency response solutions that are acceptable and applicable for those they impact." The desired outcome of effective RCCE is to "mitigate the potential negative impact of health hazards before, during and after public health emergencies or unusual events. The ultimate goal of RCCE during health emergencies and outbreaks is to reduce morbidity and mortality by empowering communities to confidently participate in leadership, planning, and implementation of activities throughout the health emergency response cycle."

To support effective RCCE, the toolkit includes: information about dengue fever; RCCE considerations for how to approach key issues during dengue fever outbreaks; tools for understanding the context in which dengue fever outbreaks occur; methods for collecting data to inform strategy development and bring evidence into planning and implementation of activities; guidance to support vector control and prevention activities; case studies; and links to existing RCCE tools and training.

In particular, it provides strategies, best practices, and practical tools to: collect and analyse social and behavioural data; use collected insights to inform strategy and implementation; coordinate activities with partners and stakeholders; support the development and dissemination of accurate information to those at risk; address public concerns; and support the participation of communities as essential partners in dengue fever readiness and response efforts - vital for more tailored, equitable, and inclusive health emergency programmes. Tools, for example, include mapping, RCCE readiness and response checklists, activity trackers, and community listening and feedback systems.

This toolkit is one of a suite of toolkits on RCCE readiness and response to a range of disease and response areas developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). (See Related Summaries, below, for the toolkit on yellow fever.)