How to Create an Alliance to Counter the Spread of Health Mis-disinformation in Africa

Abstract for a Comm Talk from the 2022 International SBCC Summit in Morocco: 

"Infodemic management is a new and evolving multidisciplinary discipline that combines different skills and knowledge to counter the spread of health dis and misinformation. The launch of Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA) has triggered a series of regional and local synergies in Africa that allow the design and implementation of tailored online and offline strategies to counter COVID-19 mis/disinformation. Based on a network of infodemic managers deployed in key African countries, the AIRA team is finding innovative and scalable solutions to help countries acquire the necessary skills to identify rumors, simplify communication messages, establish partnerships with influencers, media experts and community leaders to amplify debunk messages and to measure the impact and reach of countering misinformation campaigns. AIRA developed a social media listening system to produce regional and country-based infodemic trend reports with the most alarming rumors and information gaps. To address some of the rumors and information gaps identified, AIRA set up the Viral Facts Africa platform to produce digital products that are tailored to specific audiences in different countries and in different languages. Today, AIRA has extended its expertise to address other public health crises, such as the polio outbreak in Malawi or cholera outbreaks in Nigeria. After one year of existence, the "AIRA model" is now being replicated in other regions to fight mis and disinformation during public health crises."