An Examination Of Communication Strategies for COVID-19 in Ghana

Abstract

This paper examined communication strategies used for creating awareness of COVID-19 in Ghana. COVID-19 presented itself as the greatest public health crisis of our time and the biggest threat we have faced since the Second World War due to its inception in December last year. However, the pandemic is much more than a health crisis, it is also an unparalleled socio-economic crisis. Little or no evidence is available on the perception and impact of communication strategies for COVID-19 on the behaviour of Ghanaians in response to the pandemic, in particular within the Ghanaian community. Can credible communication promote the desired behaviour change such as adherence to covid-19 preventive measures? This term paper highlighted the communication strategies used in addressing Covid-19 in Ghana. The Government’s response to the pandemic and the perceptions and behavioural responses of the general public to the pandemic. Theories under review include behaviour change communication (BCC), health belief model (HBM), and theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The theories and concepts are synergized and presented in a conceptual framework for the body of this term paper. Although the majority of Ghanaians were fully aware of the COVID 19 pandemic. It is safe to conclude that communication strategies used for COVID 19 have been somewhat effective. However, some people in Northern Ghana held the belief that COVID 19 was a punishment from God. This requires extensive and evidence-based education to build on the already existing awareness of the pandemic in most rural communities, especially in the light of the new findings from investigations being carried out by scientists around the world.Thesis