Radio programmes can help communities to access useful health information, promote behavioural change and widen access to health services. This is the conclusion of a recent paper [1] from the Department for International Development (DFID) which draws on examples of initiatives using radio to promote better health for poor people.

Radio has a far better reach than television. It is estimated that in 2001 one in four Africans (205 million people) had access to a radio. A significant expansion recently of radio-based interventions is showing it can be a cheap and effective means of providing health information and stimulating both community dialogue and national debate on health policy issues. Examples that included water rights, hygiene, diarrhoea and oral rehydration salts (ORS) are the Haka-Haki Radio (Radio Face-to-Face) broadcast by Radio Nepal and the ‘New Home, New Life’ radio soap opera in Afghanistan (ORS).

The authors recommend support for among others: popular radio formats such as soap operas and mini-dramas that support and create community dialogue on health issues and distribution of radios to radio listening clubs.

[1] Skuse, A. (2004). Radio broadcasting for health : a decision maker’s guide. Information and Communication for Development (ICD), Department for International Development. PDF file

Contact: Andrew Skuse, andrew.skuse@adelaide.edu.au

Source: id21, 15 Jun 2005

Tags: hygiene promotion, information and communication