| dc.description.abstract | This study critically analyzes the 2002-2006 Ministry of Health and Population
Services International (Kenya) Communication Campaign on Malaria. The
study is a critical analysis of the strategies employed in the campaign.
Specifically, the study aims at examining how the campaign was planned and
the communication strategies employed. Also, the study identifies and
examines the gaps or weaknesses of 2002-2006 Ministry of Health and
Population Services International (Kenya) Communication Campaign on
Malaria and provides an alternative approach for future Malaria campaigns in
the country.
The study has utilized both primary and secondary data. It examined the
Malaria campaign in the context of four steps of an effective communication
campaign which include: Planning and Strategy Development; Developing and
Pre-testing Concepts, Messages, and Materials; Implementing the Program;
and Assessing Effectiveness and Making Refinements (National Cancer
Institute, 2004).
The results of the study show some weaknesses of the campaign that could have
led to the target of 80 per cent household ownership of Insecticide Treated Nets
(ITN), 60 per cent ITN use by childsen.xg years, and 60 per cent ITN use by
pregnant women by 2006, not being achieved. I-ns.tead only 48 per cent, 39 per cent and 40 per cent had been achieved respectively, by 2007. Some of the
weaknesses include: use of a social marketing approach; inconsistencies in
interaction between the partners; findings from the needs assessment failed to
utilized effectively; all secondary target audience were not captured, pre testing
of messages was not done effectively and the choice of language used for the
messages was unsuitable; during the campaign several other activities such as
Polio, and Measles vaccinations were on; the duration of the intensive mass
media campaign was short; the messages and the activities that were used to
pass across the campaign messages were the same for both the primary and
secondary audience, and the funds were insufficient.
To enhance Malaria communication campaign, communication campaigns
should thus shift from merely influencing behavior change to transforming
behavior through participation with the goal of attaining empowerment.
Communication campaign should not only pay attention to the individual,
societal and environmental factors affecting the target audience, but also
involve them in the entire campaign. In addition, there is need for
collaboration among partners, minimal donor involvement, use a language that
relays the right information to the target audience, pre-test all messages with
the various segments of the target audience, have independent projects, and
appropriate time frames for mass media campaigns. | en |
