Myth Busters: Coronavirus

This page offers downloadable graphics that can be used in social media to dispel myths about the coronavirus.

Topics include:

  • Can pets at home spread the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV)?
  • Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?
  • Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus?
  • Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus?

Source: WHO

Date of Publication: February 2, 2020

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Advice for the Public

This page provides downloadable images (for use on social media or to adapt for other uses) on the various ways one can protect oneself and one’s family, in response to the WHO’s announcement on January 30 that the virus constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The images are of a general nature for prevention of disease spread. WHO’s standard recommendations for the general public to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are as follows, which include hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices:

  • Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water;
  • When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands;
  • Avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough;
  • If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider;
  • When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals;
  • The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.

Source: WHO

Date of Publication: February 2, 2020

NCPAII for Most Vulnerable Children Launch Materials

In Tanzania, The National Costed Plan of Action (NCPAII) for Most Vulnerable Children (MVC) was developed to guide the implementation of actions and policies during 2013-2017 that aim to enhance the wellbeing of MVC. NCPAII aimed to prevent and reduce health and social risks for MVCs, and protect the rights of MVCs. This multi-sectoral plan was developed by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in collaboration with other ministries, development partners and stakeholders.

NCPAII included four strategic objectives:

1. Strengthen the capacity of households and communities to protect, care and support MVC

2. Increase access to effective gender responsive child protection services within a well-resourced child protection system that has the best interest of the child at its core

3. Improve access and utilization of health care, education and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECD) services

4. Strengthen the coordination and leadership, policy and service delivery environment

These collateral materials were produced to publicize the launch of the strategy.

Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019

B”More for Healthy Babies – Billboards

B’more for Healthy Babies was launched in response to the high infant mortality rate (IMR) in Baltimore City – historically one of the worst in the nation. The initiative works through more than 100 partner agencies to implement a comprehensive program of improved policy, increased access to services and behavior change in communities and families.

Since this initiative was formally launched in 2010, the IMR has dropped consistently. In 2012, the rate reached a significant milestone – 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, a record low for Baltimore City. The disparity between the IMR for white and black infants has dropped by 40%. CCP has been instrumental in developing citywide campaigns on safe sleep practices for infants, smoke-free environments, and family planning. Highlights include the production of a powerful SLEEP SAFE video that is shown to all women delivering at a birthing hospital – a key decision making point for adopting safe sleep practices.

There were several health issues for which CCP worked with other partners to produce SBCC materials: safe sleeping, no-smoking near babies or pregnant women, and infant health.

Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019

Child Marriage = Rape!

Real Open Opportunities for Transformation Support (ROOTS) is a child and women rights advocacy non-governmental organisation. This banner was hung wherever the organization held community dialogue meetings to raise awareness on the dangers of marrying off children.

ROOTS conducted open platform dialogue sessions with community members, traditional and political leaders to openly discuss, share notes and proffer solutions in curbing the problem of child marriages at community levels.The idea, was to have communities develop customised methods of ending child marriages.In addition to the awareness, ROOTS also addresses sexual and reproductive health needs of young girls and HIV prevention.


Photo credit: Aaron Ufumeli, Newsday, Zimbabwe 2015

Source: Real Open Opportunities for Transformation Support (ROOTS)

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019

Tuko Wangapi? Tulizana. (How many are we? Settle down.) Community Outreach Activity Name Tags

Tuko wangapi? Tulizana is a national campaign that aims to address concurrent sexual partnerships as a driver of new HIV infections in Tanzania. The campaign aims to increase knowledge of what a sexual network is and why it is risky, and examine the health, social, emotional and other consequences of concurrency. It encourages the audience to think critically about and discuss their own and their partners’ sexual history and behavior, with the ultimate goal of reducing overlapping sexual partnerships. Key campaign channels include radio and TV spots and interactive programs, print and social media, as well as community outreach.

These name tags accompany the Tuko Wangapi? Tulizana. (How many are we? Settle down.) Community Outreach Activity tool, which is to be used in outreach with community members to demonstrate what a sexual networks is and why they are risky. The activity uses community member participation and engages them in the learning process. It is meant to be led by a facilitator.

Early evaluation results showed that over 33,000 radio spots aired on 19 stations since the start of the campaign, and over 300,000 community members have been reached through the Tuko wangapi? community outreach toolkit. Quarterly quarterly market research surveys showed that 69% of respondents had seen or heard the campaign, that 58% can correctly complete the phrase, ‘Tuko wangapi?’, and that over 40% of those exposed to the campaign have discussed the campaign with someone else, with friends and sexual partners being at the top of that list. Phase I of the project achieved its goals of increasing knowledge of and communication about what a sexual network is and why it is risky and in increasing personal HIV risk perception– the “Tuko wangapi?” phase of the campaign. As more evaluation results are available, we will update this page.

Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP), Tanzania Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, CARE, Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS)

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019

Testing Makes Us Stronger Website Banners

This page offers code and downloadable materials to add Testing Makes Us Stronger campaign banners to websites.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed Testing Makes Us Stronger for black gay and bisexual men with input from black gay and bisexual men across the country. The goal of this national campaign is to promote HIV testing among black gay and bisexual men. Testing Makes Us Stronger aims to demonstrate that knowing one’s HIV status is important and empowering information. The campaign’s bold images and messages are featured in ads in national publications and websites, as well as local outdoor, transit and print media in select cities experiencing high levels of HIV infection in African American gay and bisexual men.

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019

SUMATA Posters, Lampshade, Danglers, Banner, Sticker

The Nepal Family Health Program (NFHP-I) was a six-year (2002-2007) bilateral activity of United States Agency for International Development, Nepal (USAID/N) with the Government of Nepal. Its overall goal was to support the Government’s long-term goal of reducing fertility and under-five mortality within the context of the National Health Policy and Second Long-Term Health Plan 1997-2017.

The Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) Program has been working in Nepal since June 1999 to increase access to and demand for safe motherhood (SM) services.

The SUMATA initiative was launched on 8 March 2002 as a multilevel SM behavior change initiative designed to support the efforts of the Government of Nepal to reduce the high maternal mortality rate in Nepal. SUMATA is an acronym for Care, Share, and Prepare in Nepali. It is also an auspicious word for mother in Sanskrit. The intended audience for SUMATA was women, husbands, families, community leaders, and community-based health workers.

SUMATA standardized SM messages were used in posters, billboards, lampshades, danglers, banners, stickers, radio spots, jingles and dramas, TV dramas, and street theater. Radio dramas highlighting general SM messages have been broadcast nationally.

Source: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/ Center for Communication Programs

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019