EHEPA Seminar 38

Risk communication and Community Engagement in Marbug virus Disease Outbreak Response: Lesson, Gaps and Future Perspectives

Ethiopian Health Education and Promotion Professionals Association (EHEPA)

Yibeyin Mulualem is a public health professional with expertise in risk communication and community engagement, public health surveillance, and outbreak response. He has experience working in public health emergencies including infectious disease outbreaks, where he contributes strengthen community-based interventions and improving communication strategies. His work focus on bridging technical public health efforts with community needs, promoting trust, and enhancing the effectiveness of emergency response. He is now working as early warning and RCCE division head in Ethiopian public health institute, under the ministry of health.

Friday April 03, 2026 ⋅ 11am – 12pm (East Africa Time)

Virtual

As we all know, Ethiopia reported its first ever Marburg virus diseases/MVD/ in November 2025. Following the confirmation of the outbreak, the institute activated the Incident Management System (IMS) to ensure a coordinated and effective outbreak response. Risk communication and community engagement is one of the critical pillars that connect technical interventions with the people they are meant to protect and serve. In this seminar, we will highlight the RCCE lesson learned, gaps identified and future perspectives in RCCE interventions. These insights aim to strengthen understanding, improve response strategies, and enhance preparedness for the future pandemics.