WHO WATCH: Community Protection for Cholera: Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)

Event details from WHO website.

Background: ‘Cholera remains a significant global public health threat, closely linked to inequality and inadequate social and economic development. Since 2021, the world has seen a surge in cholera cases. As of late June 2025, over 287,000 cases and more than 3,100 deaths have been reported globally across 28 countries.

‘Outbreaks are often fueled by heavy rains, flooding, conflict, overcrowding in displacement sites, and lack of access to clean water. Access to safe water, basic sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is essential to prevent and control cholera. Communities play a critical role – they need to know how they can access these, what services are available and what they need to do.  Lessons from recent responses highlight that technical interventions must be coupled with strong risk communication and community engagement. Community involvement is critical for building trust, sharing information, and ensuring that solutions are culturally appropriate and effective.’

Objective: ‘The primary purpose of this webinar is to share examples and highlight successful RCCE strategies for ensuring  that management of cholera is guided by and responsive to the priorities and concerns of affected communities.’

Specifically, this webinar will:

1. Share examples of how to successfully integrate data-driven, community-centered approaches to management of cholera, including but not limited to RCCE and WASH
2. Feature insights from local and national organizations on practical RCCE approaches,  is making a difference in community awareness and actions including in preventing transmission
3. Share best practice and improve understanding of how to support communities to identify and implement WASH solutions aligned to local contexts

Tentative Agenda and Speakers:

• Welcome remarks: Dr Stella Chungong, Director, Health Emergency Preparedness, WHO Health Emergencies Programme
• The role of community protection in cholera outbreaks (intro to the series): Dr Kai von Harbou, Unit Head, Community Protection and Resilience, Health Emergency Preparedness Department, WHO Health Emergencies Programme
• The global cholera crisis: An overview of the work of GFTCC and current situation and the critical role of integrating RCCE approaches: Marion Martinez Valiente, Coordinator, GTFCC/WHO Cholera Programme, & Kathryn Alberti, Technical officer, WHO Cholera Programme
• Role of Community data in the 2024 Zambia cholera response and its application: Tikulirekuti Banda, RCCE Expert, UNICEF Zambia
• RCCE approaches for rapid community awareness and action in a cholera outbreak: Ibrahim Abdelkhier, Programme Advisor, NIDAA – Sudanese Development Call Organization, Sudan
• Q&A: Moderated by Dana McLaughlin, Coordinator, Collective Service