Archive / Volume 11, Issue 2, April 2021

Evaluation of the Ugandan Government’s Communication Strategies of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ayodeji O. Awobamise 1, Yosra Jarrar 2 * , Godswill Okiyi 3

More Detail

Full Text (PDF)

Abstract

This study focuses on the communication strategies employed by the Ugandan government in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used a mixed method approach, including interviews, questionnaires and content analysis. A sample size of 400 was drawn for the survey, five community leaders and health workers were interviewed and 270 COVID-19 media reports were used for the content analysis. The findings showed that the government of Uganda did not engage in dialogue at the grassroots level. Secondly, it was found that the media generally reported on the spread of the virus and the number of daily deaths. However, the findings also showed that the media largely supported and complemented the government’s efforts. Finally, little or no effort was made to engage with communities before major preventive and protective measures were announced and enforced by the government. It was suggested that grassroots dialogue and community engagement must be carried out before major decisions are made by the government if they are to be effective in the future.

Keywords

COVID-19 risk communication health communication communication strategy

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/10824

Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume 11, Issue 2, April 2021, Article No: e202107

Published Online: 03 Apr 2021

Article Views: 75

Article Downloads: 35

Open Access References How to Cite This Article

References

  • America, P. R. (2012, November 22). About Public Relations. http://www.prsa.org
  • Borchelt, E. R. (2008). Public Relations in Science. In M. B. Trench, Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology (pp. 147-157). Routledge.
  • Buomprisco, G., Ricci, S., Perri, R., & De Sio, S. (2021). Health and Telework: New Challenges after COVID-19 Pandemic. European Journal of Environment and Public Health, 5(2), em0073. https://doi.org/10.21601/ejeph/9705
  • Burns, T., O’Connor, D., & Stocklmayer, S. (2003). Science communication: a contemporary definition (pp. 182-202). Sage publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625030122004
  • Carpenter, A., & Greene, K. (2016). Social Penetration Theory. In R. Berger & M. E. Roloff (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of interpersonal Communication (pp. 1-5). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118540190.wbeic160
  • Communicationtheory.org. (2018, July 6). Shannon and Weaver model of communication. https://www.communicationtheory.org/shannon-and-weaver-model-of-communication/
  • Dawe, V., & Hardie, J. (2021). The Rise of the Big Data Doctor: Recent Advances and Warnings in Digital Public Health Technology. Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 18(3), em284. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/9763
  • du Plessis, H. (2017). Politics of science communication in South Africa. Journal of Science Communication, 16(3), A03. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.16030203
  • Einsiedel, E. E. (2008). Public Participation and Dialogue. In M. Bucchi & B. Trench (Eds.), Handbook of Public Communication of Science and Technology (pp. 173-184). Routledge.
  • Gilaninia, S., Taleghani, M., & Mohammadi, M. E. (2013). The role of public relations in an organisation. Arabian Jurnal of Business and Management Review (Nigeria Chapter), 47-51. https://doi.org/10.12816/0003699
  • Griffin, E. (2008). A First Look at Communication Theory. In I. Altman, & D. Taylor (Eds.), A First Look at Communication Theory (pp. 113-124). McGraw-Hill.
  • Grinig, J. E., & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing public relations. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
  • Grunig, J. E. (2011). Public relations and strategic management: Institutionalising organisation-public relationships in contemporary society. Central European Journal of Communication, 11-31.
  • Grunig, J. E., & Dozier, D. M. (1992). Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers.
  • Grunig, J. E., & Grunig, L. A. (2002). Implications of the IABC excellence study for PR education. Journal of Communication Management, 7(1), 34-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/13632540310807232
  • Guide, M. S. (2018, November 21). Seven C’s of Effective Communication. https://www.managementstudyguide.com/seven-cs-of-effective-communication.htm
  • Jasinski, P. A. (2010). Public Relations as a tool of science communication with society. CENIC Magazine. Biological Sciences, 1-10.
  • Lattimore, D., Baskin, O., Heiman, S. T., & L. Toth, E. (2009). Public Relations: The Profession and The Practice. McGraw-Hill.
  • McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2006). Research in Education: Evidence-Based Inquiry. Allyn and Bacon.
  • Mugwanya, Z., Gumisiriza, G., Tibaasanga, A., Mugwanya, N., & Muhumuza, J. (2015). Top 10 Facts About Biosafety and Biotechnology in Uganda by 2015. Kampala: Uganda Bioscience Information Centre.
  • National Institutes of Health. (2011). Principles of Community engagement. NIH.
  • Ndlovu, H., Joubert, M., & Boshoff, N. (2016). Public science communication in Africa: views and practices of academics at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe. Journal of Science Communication, 15(6), A105. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.15060205
  • Papadeli, E., Tsakiridou, E., & Mavrikaki, E. (2020). Using stories to engage students in a health education school program about genetic testing. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(3), 107-114. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/9550
  • Ricketts, A. (2015, March 23). News. https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/actionaid-says-uganda-counterpart-apologised-official-spoke-against-gm-crops/communications/article/1339555
  • Shipman, M. (2014). Public communication from research institutes: Is it science communication or public relations? Journal of Science Communication, 13(3), C01. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.13030301
  • Skoogh, Y., Cormick, G. M., & falconi, T. M. (2010, June 15). Stockholm Accords. http://www.wprf2010.se/draft-of-the-stockholm-accords/
  • Sledzik, B. (2008, August 10). the 4 models of public realtions practice how far have you evolved. https://toughsledding.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/the-4-models-of-public-relations-practice-how-far-have-you-evolved/
  • Springston, J. K., & Lariscy, R. A. (2005). Public relations effectiveness in public health institutions. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 28(2), 218-245.
  • Statistics, U. B. (2016). National Population and Housing Census 2014. Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
  • Studies, C. (2018, June 3). Communication Theories. http://www.communicationstudies.com/communication-theories/social-penetration-theory
  • The Royal Society. (1985). The Public Understanding of Science. The Royal Society.
  • Toss, G., & Jenni, M. (2017). The emergence of modern science in Australia. Journal of Science Communication, 16(3), A01. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.16030201
  • Verma, C., Stoffová, V., & Zoltán, I. (2018). Descriptive Analysis of Viewpoint of Students and Faculty towards Information and Communication Technology in Relation to Gender: A Case Study of Indian Universities. European Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 2(1), 06. https://doi.org/10.20897/ejosdr/74240
  • Waddington, S. (2015). A critical review of the Four Models of Public Relations and the Excellence Theory in an era of digital communication. In S. Waddington (Ed.), Chartered Public Relations: Lessons from Expert Practitioners (pp. 1-11). Kogan Page, Limited.