STEP 1: Stakeholder mapping
Identifying key actors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Stakeholder map from Indonesia

Step 2:  Stakeholder meetings

A series of meetings with groups identified in Step 1 with the aim of:

1.Validating the stakeholder maps
2.Analyze communication roles during outbreaks
3.Identifying how researchers can support policy makers
4.Identify the communities that were most affected during the COVID-19 pandemic and those which were the hardest to reach with communications
5.Identify potential ways of engaging these communities in future outbreaks.
 

1st Stakeholder Workshop, Jakarta, Indonesia:
“Enhancing communication effectiveness to Address future outbreaks in Indonesia”

26 representatives from:

Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Office, Ministry of Communication & Information, WHO Indonesia, primary health centres, public laboratories, academics, iNGOs, journalists and COVID-19 volunteers

Co-hosted by Lapor Sehat (Citizen Empowerment for Humanity Foundation): a citizen reporting platform launched in March 2020 to facilitate the sharing of information about COVID-19.

  • Who were the main actors in communications during COVID-19 in Indonesia and what were their main concerns?
  • Which key actors were most effective in communicating during the pandemic?
  • Who were the hard-to-reach communities and individuals?

Senior stakeholder meeting in Vietnam

17 participants who held senior positions and responsible for COVID19 response in their organisations.

From 4 sectors: Media & Press, Healthcare, Education, and Community-based organisations

  • What was your/your organisation's role during the COVID-19 pandemic?
  • What are your concerns regarding future emerging infectious diseases?
  • In your opinion, what types of support can scientists offer to address those concerns?
  • Which other stakeholders should be included in discussions about emerging infectious disease outbreak preparedness and responses?

 

Stakeholder meeting with the Health Research Advisory Group (HRAG) Vietnam

  • An OUCRU advisory group
  • 12 community members with diverse backgrounds
  • Regularly meet to advise and discuss OUCRU’s research

SEACOVARIANTS: Community Dialogues in Thailand

Conducted community dialogues with eight stakeholder groups from November 2023 to September 2024, involving a total of 117 participants.

Stakeholder group

Selection criteria

University students

Youth and education impact

Klong Toey community in Bangkok

Slum, low resource and elderly

Community Advisory Board in Chiang Rai province

Remote area, religion, language barrier (minority)

Health Research and Ethics Interest Group (HREIG) - Community Advisory Board in Bangkok

Member of public
Migrant workers in Samuth Sakhon province

Myanmar workers, urban

Disability group

Visual impairment musician
Residents in Pattani province

Muslim community, religious and belief

Tak Community Advisory Board in Thai-Myanmar border

Migrant in Thai-Myanmar border

Questions for Community Dialogues

Session 1:

1. Share your experiences, both positive and negative, during the COVID-19 pandemic
2. What do you think should be improved about the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in preparation for future outbreaks? And how?

Session 2:

1. What challenges did you face in communication during the COVID-19 pandemic?
2. What kind of information would you like to know to help you cope with the pandemic?
3. What kind of communication channel did you use to get info about COVID-19 during the pandemic?
4. What were the pros & cons of each channel?
5. Which channel did you find most reliable and least reliable?
6. Which groups of people in the community do you think have difficulty accessing information, and why?

Session 3:

1. Have you received a COVID-19 vaccine? Why?
2. If there is a pandemic of a new disease in the future, would you decide to get vaccinated? Why/why not?
3. For those who are unsure, what would it take to change your mind?