Communications & Advocacy

GAVI’s PneumoADIP and partners have raised the awareness of pneumococcal disease and vaccination by translating and communicating research and commercial data into clear messages that make affordable, sustainable supply and demand possible.

HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and measles have traditionally dominated global public health media coverage. The overwhelming media focus on those four diseases continues today, in spite of the fact that the pneumococcal disease burden is greater. In addition, pneumococcal disease is preventable by a vaccine that is available now unlike HIV/AIDS or malaria. Increased and continued media focus is needed if pneumococcal disease is to gain appropriate global attention, funding, and the health intervention policies it deserves.

An investment in communications has driven global advocacy efforts and propelled a little known disease into the limelight; however, there is still more communications work to be done in building the momentum for global pneumococal disease prevention.

Making a Media Impression

Independent analysis conducted by ECHO research shows that PneumoADIP’s efforts to communicate evidence based key messages are raising awareness of pneumococcal disease as a global health problem and of the preventative impact of vaccination.

Since 2004, when PneumoADIP’s communications efforts began, there has been a 9-fold increase in news reporting on pneumococcal disease. This is the result of proactive and coordinated media outreach in coordination with key opinion leaders and message development with a global expert panel.

Documentaries Reach Millions

Two BBC World documentaries on pneumococcal vaccines have been broadcast to over 250 million households as part of the “Kill or Cure?” series. PneumoADIP was proud to participate in the production of these documentaries which highlight the burden of the disease in Asia and Africa and what needs to be done to accelerate the introduction of the lifesaving vaccine.

Updating Our Colleagues

The PneumoADIP communications team produces a monthly newsletter, PneumoFOCUS, dedicated to all sector news about pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal vaccines. The newsletter is a good way to keep up to date with pneumococcal vaccine-related issues, information on meetings, funding opportunities, and PneumoADIP activities. A special edition newsletter, PneumoALERT, is also sent to PneumoADIP colleagues to communicate breaking news.

Around the Clock Resources

The PneumoADIP website continues to change to reflect the dynamic developments in pneumococcal disease prevention. The website serves as a resource to a steadily increasing number of visitors. The site has information and resources on pneumococcal disease and the progress the global community is making in accelerating access to pneumococcal vaccines.

Expert Products

PneumoADIP develops a range of expert resources to support the work of our collaborators in the field. PneumoADIP recently produced “Finding Pneumo” an educational video to support laboratory procedures for surveillance efforts in the field and a pneumococcal communications toolbox is under production to aid local advocates in efforts to raising awareness of pneumococcal disease and prevention through vaccination.

Regional Workshops

PneumoADIP and the Hib Initiative hosted their first Africa Regional Advocacy Workshop for Childhood Pneumonia Prevention in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, October 23-25, 2007.
Twenty-one prominent child health experts from eight African countries attended. Participants included: pediatricians, child health researchers, and representatives from Ministries of Health. The three-day workshop was designed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (CCP), so that participants return home with improved advocacy skills to help engage key audiences in efforts to help raise awareness of and take action against pneumonia. Response from the participants was highly positive and plans to continue with similar workshops in other global regions are underway. 

GAVI’s PneumoADIP and the Hib Initiative hosted their first Child Pneumonia Prevention Asia Regional Advocacy Workshop in Bali, Indonesia, April 22-24.
Twenty prominent child health experts from eight Asian countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam, took part in the event.  Participants included pediatricians, child health researchers, and representatives from Ministries of Health. The three-day workshop was designed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (CCP) and is the second of its kind. An African workshop was conducted in Tanzania in November, 2007. The workshop was designed so that participants can improve advocacy skills and are given tools to help engage key audiences, raise awareness and promote action to prevent childhood pneumonia.

PACE

PneumoADIP’s communications team collaborate with the Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE). Convened by the Sabin Vaccine Institute in December 2006, PACE is a working group of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases and vaccines. The Council's mission is to raise awareness of pneumococcal disease and advocate for its prevention through vaccination. The Council's 15 members represent the United States, Bangladesh, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, the Czech Republic, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sweden.