Social Media As A WASH Communication Tool During COVID-19
Summary
Across Nepal, it can be challenging to obtain contextually relevant information about COVID-19 and WASH. "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" attempts to bridge this gap by sharing practical and accessible information about COVID-19 prevention measures, with a focus on hygiene, through Facebook.
The team of two counselors, who receive no formal financial support, offer a variety of services, some free of charge and some paid, to individuals and small businesses to create meaningful yet affordable hygiene-focused changes. Social media, which allows for real-time engagement with users, is a promising approach to sharing and communicating information worldwide in a public health context.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was limited information in Nepali, which is the most spoken language nation-wide in Nepal. Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, mostly the information were made available in English. Country-wide, most people have a limited grasp of the English language (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Moreover, no significant portion of the people has access to television and radio as communication and information-sharing tools outside of cities. The expansion of mobile networks and devices and cheap data packages has led to a dramatic change in communication and information-sharing methods in Nepal. The proliferation of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Viber and WhatsApp, have habituated people to novel technologies.
Intervention
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, two Nepalese counselors with WASH and public health background and experience, Phurba Moktan and Buddha Bajracharya, set up a Facebook page named "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor". The intent was to share practical and accessible information about COVID-19 prevention measures, focusing on hygiene education (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Although based in Kathmandu, the counselors communicate with people across the country through engaging and creative infographics with simple language text and videos in Nepali that explain key government initiatives and messaging. Additionally, they create instructional videos on making soap and hand sanitizer at home and setting up effective handwashing facilities (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). In the Facebook page's early days, some posts were promoted using the "boost" feature to ensure they reached a wider audience across the country (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020).
Most information is shared on the "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" Facebook page. The small team of hygiene counselors can respond to questions asked directly through Facebook Messenger or by replying to comments on posts. Users are also able to book time slots for different services offered by the team. Available services that are provided free of charge are Q&A sessions with a counselor and occupational hygiene consulting (free of charge at the individual level) that allow individuals to ask for suggestions about creating and maintaining good hygiene practices and COVID-19 prevention tips. Launched in Summer 2020, small businesses, ranging from factories to restaurants to shops to beauty parlors, can book "hygiene audit" services (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Similar to an occupational health consultation, counselors inspect the business for hygiene risks, review proper hygiene practices to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and provide tips to make meaningful changes through cost-effective methods (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020).
There is no formal financial support for the "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" initiative (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). The counselors both have full-time jobs working on the COVID-19 response in Nepal and began the Facebook page in a voluntary capacity. Except for simplifying government guidance, "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" does not appear to work with the Nepalese government nor the Kathmandu municipal government. The idea for the initiative was born out of the perceived information gap in the content shown in the news and on social media (i.e., the symptoms and treatment of COVID-19). If preventative actions were discussed or provided, they were difficult for the local population to access and apply (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020).
Challenges
Presently, two significant challenges exist regarding the "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" page: the potential inaccessibility of the information on the page and the voluntary nature of the Facebook page. First, while social media is a crucial tool to share information quickly, those who cannot afford data packages, WIFI in their homes or workspaces or compatible mobile phones to access Facebook are excluded and are unable to access plain language information on COVID-19. Second, the counselors have full-time jobs and cannot continue providing high-quality information on the Facebook page without a formal team, and have had to reduce their hygiene counseling services (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). The lack of financial support is a significant barrier to the initiative's expansion. However, the counselors are optimistic that existing information remains relevant and can be shared by followers (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Nevertheless, despite the growing body of research, the extent to which social media platforms play a role in contributing to behavioral change by enhancing public health awareness and prevention remains to be quantified (Al-Dmour et al., 2020).
Outcomes
In Nepal, COVID-19 cases peaked in Summer 2020, then declined until Spring 2021, which saw an exponential increase before beginning to decline in Summer 2021 (JHU CSSE, 2021). "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor"'s provision of free COVID-19 prevention guidance and tips over social media allowed for the real-time widespread sharing and distribution of the information, which filled a critical gap over social media. Respondents in a survey affiliated with WaterAid [1] carried out across Nepal noted that television and radio are not effective means to disseminate information on COVID-19 (WaterAid, 2020). The same survey showed that 99% of respondents had received messages about washing hands with soap and water (i.e., via mobile phone, newspaper, family, friends, neighbours, etc.), and 97% changed their hand-washing behaviours at home after exposure to messages on handwashing with soap and water (WaterAid, 2020). While it is difficult to see the first-hand impacts of the work due to its grassroots and mainly virtual nature, the Facebook page has more than 3,500 'Likes' and almost 3,600 'Follows'. This demonstrates the recognition of the counselors' work to date in providing tailored and responsive advice in the local language (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020), thereby filling a key gap that has been voiced by the general public. The initiative has also linked with Paschim Paila, a youth WASH network, directing those interested to the Facebook page for more information on hygiene counseling. There has also been great success in the hygiene audit service. For example, a phone consultation with a local hair salon resulted in the owner ensuring new COVID-19 preventative measures, including access to face masks, hand sanitizer installation, and salon adaptations to allow for adequate physical distancing based on public health recommendations (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Pending successful partnerships with stakeholders, there is potential to scale up hygiene counseling in future health emergencies.
References
Social Media As A WASH Communication Tool During COVID-19
Summary
Across Nepal, it can be challenging to obtain contextually relevant information about COVID-19 and WASH. "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" attempts to bridge this gap by sharing practical and accessible information about COVID-19 prevention measures, with a focus on hygiene, through Facebook.
The team of two counselors, who receive no formal financial support, offer a variety of services, some free of charge and some paid, to individuals and small businesses to create meaningful yet affordable hygiene-focused changes. Social media, which allows for real-time engagement with users, is a promising approach to sharing and communicating information worldwide in a public health context.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was limited information in Nepali, which is the most spoken language nation-wide in Nepal. Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, mostly the information were made available in English. Country-wide, most people have a limited grasp of the English language (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Moreover, no significant portion of the people has access to television and radio as communication and information-sharing tools outside of cities. The expansion of mobile networks and devices and cheap data packages has led to a dramatic change in communication and information-sharing methods in Nepal. The proliferation of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Viber and WhatsApp, have habituated people to novel technologies.
Issue
Intervention
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, two Nepalese counselors with WASH and public health background and experience, Phurba Moktan and Buddha Bajracharya, set up a Facebook page named "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor". The intent was to share practical and accessible information about COVID-19 prevention measures, focusing on hygiene education (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Although based in Kathmandu, the counselors communicate with people across the country through engaging and creative infographics with simple language text and videos in Nepali that explain key government initiatives and messaging. Additionally, they create instructional videos on making soap and hand sanitizer at home and setting up effective handwashing facilities (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). In the Facebook page's early days, some posts were promoted using the "boost" feature to ensure they reached a wider audience across the country (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020).
Most information is shared on the "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" Facebook page. The small team of hygiene counselors can respond to questions asked directly through Facebook Messenger or by replying to comments on posts. Users are also able to book time slots for different services offered by the team. Available services that are provided free of charge are Q&A sessions with a counselor and occupational hygiene consulting (free of charge at the individual level) that allow individuals to ask for suggestions about creating and maintaining good hygiene practices and COVID-19 prevention tips. Launched in Summer 2020, small businesses, ranging from factories to restaurants to shops to beauty parlors, can book "hygiene audit" services (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Similar to an occupational health consultation, counselors inspect the business for hygiene risks, review proper hygiene practices to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and provide tips to make meaningful changes through cost-effective methods (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020).
There is no formal financial support for the "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" initiative (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). The counselors both have full-time jobs working on the COVID-19 response in Nepal and began the Facebook page in a voluntary capacity. Except for simplifying government guidance, "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" does not appear to work with the Nepalese government nor the Kathmandu municipal government. The idea for the initiative was born out of the perceived information gap in the content shown in the news and on social media (i.e., the symptoms and treatment of COVID-19). If preventative actions were discussed or provided, they were difficult for the local population to access and apply (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020).
Challenges
Presently, two significant challenges exist regarding the "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor" page: the potential inaccessibility of the information on the page and the voluntary nature of the Facebook page. First, while social media is a crucial tool to share information quickly, those who cannot afford data packages, WIFI in their homes or workspaces or compatible mobile phones to access Facebook are excluded and are unable to access plain language information on COVID-19. Second, the counselors have full-time jobs and cannot continue providing high-quality information on the Facebook page without a formal team, and have had to reduce their hygiene counseling services (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). The lack of financial support is a significant barrier to the initiative's expansion. However, the counselors are optimistic that existing information remains relevant and can be shared by followers (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Nevertheless, despite the growing body of research, the extent to which social media platforms play a role in contributing to behavioral change by enhancing public health awareness and prevention remains to be quantified (Al-Dmour et al., 2020).
Outcomes
In Nepal, COVID-19 cases peaked in Summer 2020, then declined until Spring 2021, which saw an exponential increase before beginning to decline in Summer 2021 (JHU CSSE, 2021). "I'm Your Hygiene Counselor"'s provision of free COVID-19 prevention guidance and tips over social media allowed for the real-time widespread sharing and distribution of the information, which filled a critical gap over social media. Respondents in a survey affiliated with WaterAid [1] carried out across Nepal noted that television and radio are not effective means to disseminate information on COVID-19 (WaterAid, 2020). The same survey showed that 99% of respondents had received messages about washing hands with soap and water (i.e., via mobile phone, newspaper, family, friends, neighbours, etc.), and 97% changed their hand-washing behaviours at home after exposure to messages on handwashing with soap and water (WaterAid, 2020). While it is difficult to see the first-hand impacts of the work due to its grassroots and mainly virtual nature, the Facebook page has more than 3,500 'Likes' and almost 3,600 'Follows'. This demonstrates the recognition of the counselors' work to date in providing tailored and responsive advice in the local language (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020), thereby filling a key gap that has been voiced by the general public. The initiative has also linked with Paschim Paila, a youth WASH network, directing those interested to the Facebook page for more information on hygiene counseling. There has also been great success in the hygiene audit service. For example, a phone consultation with a local hair salon resulted in the owner ensuring new COVID-19 preventative measures, including access to face masks, hand sanitizer installation, and salon adaptations to allow for adequate physical distancing based on public health recommendations (Moktan & Bajracharya, 2020). Pending successful partnerships with stakeholders, there is potential to scale up hygiene counseling in future health emergencies.
Issues |
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Water Governance and Policy |
Solutions |
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Community Engagement & Education |
References
Al-Dmour, H., Masa’deh, R., Salman, A., Abuhashesh, M., & Al-Dmour, R. (2020, May). Influence of social media platforms on public health protection against the COVID-19 pandemic via the mediating effects of public health awareness and behavioral changes: Integrated model. Journal of Medical Internet Research. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://www.jmir.org/2020/8/e19996/.
Do people speak English in Nepal? Polyglot Geek. (2021, September 8). Retrieved October 16, 2021, from https://polyglotgeek.com/do-people-speak-english-in-nepal/.
Innovative Use of Social Media Taking WASH in Schools to Scale in Vanuatu. UNICEF. (2021). Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://www.unicef.org/pacificislands/media/2186/file.
Johns Hopkins University. (2021, October 16). Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases. JHU CSSE. Retrieved October 18, 2021, from https://systems.jhu.edu/research/public-health/ncov/.
Moktan, P. S., & Bajracharya, B. (2020, July 13). Using social media in the local language to engage with populations in a tailored way. Hygiene hub. Retrieved October 16, 2021, from https://www.hygienehub.info/en/case-studies/nepal-using-social-media-in-a-tailored-and-contextualised-way.
Pan, S.-C., Sheng, W.-H., Tien, K.-L., Chien, K.-T., Chen, Y.-C., & Chang, S.-C. (2016). Promoting a hand hygiene program using social media: An observational study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.2196/publichealth.5101
Rapid Research on Handwashing Promotion during COVID-19 Pandemic in Nepal. WaterAid. (2020, July). Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://washmatters.wateraid.org/sites/g/files/jkxoof256/files/rapid-research-on-handwashing-promotion-during-covid-19-pandemic-in-nepal.pdf.