High-Level Meeting on Risk Communications for Public Health Emergencies: Santé Publique France Hosts 30 Asian and European Countries

Santé publique France and the ASEF (Asia-Europe Foundation) are organizing the annual international seminar "High-level Meeting on Risk Communications for Public Health Emergencies" on October 10 and 11 in Paris. Over the course of two days, 55 participants from 30 countries in Europe and Asia will gather to discuss crisis communication in exceptional health situations, with this year’s central theme being the accessibility of information to minority groups. This year, Santé publique France has the honor of hosting the WHO, WHO Europe, the ECDC, the Wellcome Trust, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as well as high-level speakers to guide the discussions, share their experiences, and stimulate participants’ thinking.

The Asia-European Foundation (ASEF) is an intergovernmental organization established in 1997 (www.org) that aims to promote international cooperation programs in education, public health, the environment, culture, the economy, and intercultural dialogue. It comprises 53 countries, 30 of which will be represented this year in Paris.

A must-attend international event, the "High-level Meeting on Risk Communications for Public Health Emergencies" brings together health crisis management specialists every year: spokespersons for health services, communications directors from ministries of health or public health institutes, and specialists in crisis alerting and communication. The two-day event will feature case studies, lessons learned, and simulation exercises.

Preparing in advance to respond more effectively in the heat of the moment

By bringing together an international network of communication and public health professionals, Santé publique France helps forge essential connections in preparation for managing an international health crisis. Getting to know our counterparts, exchanging views on response mechanisms, best practices, and challenges—but also understanding our differences, comparing our perspectives, and debating the solutions at our disposal—is how we prepare for the unexpected, and that is the very purpose of this meeting, established about ten years ago by ASEF. Since triggering alerts and crisis communication in exceptional health situations are central to Santé publique France’s missions, it was natural for the agency to host the meeting this year.

Reaching all populations

The challenge of including migrants and minority groups in communication strategies will be the central theme of the meeting. How can we deliver the same message to different audiences in the urgency of a health crisis? How can we target specific groups without stigmatizing them? How can we take into account the perceptions, fears, and beliefs specific to each social group? To what extent should messages be adapted? How can we ensure that information is accessible to those who are furthest removed from official sources? These are all questions that, despite differences in socio-political contexts, face decision-makers in every country.

All of the meeting’s conclusions and recommendations will be published by ASEF in a report to be released in early 2019.

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