Spots - Roll Back Malaria

STEP 1GATHER INFORMATION, BUILD YOURTEAM, PLAN YOUR SPOTDETERMINE YOUR OBJECTIVES: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?Before you can begin planning your spots, decide what specifically the radio spotswill accomplish. A number of malaria issues can be addressed throughcommunication. Often the overall objective will already be determined by thenational or district-level malaria program. If not, reviewing information you collectedby talking to local health managers can help you decide which objective to focus onin your spots. (See page 17)Try to select an objective that uses radio for its strengths:• Awareness: Radio excels at building awareness of and demand for products andservices. It is also good for popularizing the names of products and letting peopleknow where to find them.• Reach: Radio is a universal medium and has the largest audience of anycommunication channel. Radio can expand the reach of interpersonalcommunication (such as face-to-face counseling, health education talks) and printmaterials (flipcharts, counseling cards/guides, flyers) to people who have not beenreached by these channels, as well as to reinforce messages for those who have.• Local impact: District-level or local radio can complement the reach and impactof a national program’s radio messages (and those of other channels) bybroadcasting them to more remote areas, within specific cultural contexts or inmore local languages and dialects.• Model behavior: Radio is also an efficient and effective way to model a desiredbehavior, remind people about things and encourage repeated or continuedaction.While radio can promote a range of malaria and fever-related behavioral objectives,the following are common to many countries:• Increase recognition of specific child health danger sign(s) that prompt careseekingwithin 24 hours of fever onset• Reduce time between fever onset and care-seeking for children withfever/convulsions• Acquire the appropriate medicine promptly• Complete the treatment: Take medicine for the correct amount of time, thecorrect number of times per daySpot On Malaria: Guide11