An agency to provide support in developing and implementing COVID-19 risk communication and community engagement activities in selected areas in Viet Nam.

Background: Globally, more than 8.5 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, and over 456,000 people have lost their lives (as of 20 June 2020). Almost all countries in the world (216) have reported cases, except for some Pacific islands and some countries and areas in other regions. While some countries still experience difficulty in controlling the outbreak, there are countries that have had some success at suppressing transmission, including Viet Nam. They have been able to reduce transmission to a low level or eliminate it. However, these countries, as others, need to remain at the ready for a resurgence of cases. It is very important that countries have the systems in place to be able to quickly identify any suspect cases and test those cases and follow the same pattern of events that needs to happen; make sure we test, treat and isolate, and trace and quarantine contacts so that any resurgence can be picked up quickly and can be stamped out. Viet Nam has so far been managing these processes very well with no recorded community transmission for more or less 70 days now. WHO attributes Viet Nam’s, so far, successful control of the outbreak to three factors. First, early and timely activation of response system, in which the country greatly invested during the so-called, “peace time”. Second, there has been strong government leadership and vision, and rapid mobilization of resources using a whole-of-society approach. Third, there have been comprehensive and credible communications. The country needs to keep this momentum; as long as the virus is circulating, everyone remains at risk. Effective public communication, including risk communication and community engagement, is integral in the battle against the novel coronavirus. How and where people receive information about COVID-19 is significant in shaping appropriate risk perceptions which are essential for forming protective behaviours like frequent handwashing and self-isolation. Without a vaccine or known treatment, these individual and group behaviours remain the most important means available to slow infection rates. There remains populations in the country that do not have access to sufficient information on COVID-19. Sharing timely, clear, accurate and consistent information is critical during disease outbreaks, especially of emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19 in which there is a great deal of uncertainty, many things are not yet known and the situation continuously evolves. This is why it is critical that various communities are engaged to support risk communication with the aim to have necessary information reach as many populations as possible. This proposed Agreement for the Performance of Work (APW) looks into implementing COVID-19-related risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) activities in the country. WHO Viet Nam wishes to take advantage of the current stable situation of COVID-19 in the country, in which the mobility and required by potential “physical” RCCE activities remains possible to date. Potential contracting partners are invited to submit proposals for a package of RCCE activities for implementation at community level. Work to be performed Under the guidance of the technical focal point for risk communication, as well as the supervision of the Disease Control Group–Health Emergencies Programme (DC-HE) Coordinator, the contracting partner will provide support:

Specific Objectives of the activity:Develop and implement a risk communication and community engagement activity plan targeting key groups, including healthcare workers, ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups, civil society groups or associations, including women’s groups, etc.
Description of the tasks/process involved in carrying out the activitySpecifically, the contracting partner will:(1) design and facilitate context-appropriate information sharing sessions with target groups (focus group discussions and workshops); (2) conduct community engagement activities, including harnessing partnerships between stakeholders, that will both gauge and raise the level of community awareness on, as well as increase capacity to prevent COVID-19 and other infectious diseases and to identify symptoms; (3) develop risk communication materials and tools for this RCCE activity, and develop a paper summarizing its outcomes.

Method (s) to carry out the activity

Desktop research
Organizing and facilitating discussions, workshops and meetings
Field visits
Drafting report and papersOutput and deliverablesOutput: Developed and implemented RCCE activity for COVID-19 Deliverable 1: Context-appropriate communication materials and tools for focus group discussions and workshops Deliverable 2: Mid-term progress report of preliminary activities, including technical outcomes, such as community knowledge on COVID-19, their prevention and treatment; determinants/challenges of community prevention efforts Deliverable 3: Conduct of RCCE activities in selected provinces Deliverable 4: Final report of all activities, including technical outcomes, with financial report attached

Attachment: Detailed call for proposal and expression of interest Address for Applications: Administrative Officer World Health Organization UN Building, 304 Kim Ma Street, Hanoi, Viet Nam Or by email at: wpvnmapplicants@who.int Application deadline: 14 July 2020