Rabies communication in Estonia

Enel Niin Rabies project leaderVeterinary and Food

Board of Estonia

Structure of Veterinary and Food Board

3

Director General

Deputy Director General

Deputy Director GeneralLawyer

Animal Health, Welfare and Feedingstuffs Dep.

Animal Health Office

Animal Welfare Office

Feedinfstuffs Office

Food Dep.

Office for Food of Animal Origin

Office for Retail, Organic Farming and Food of Non-animal Origin

Trade, Import and Export Dep.

Surveillance and Control Office

Luhamaa BIP

Muuga and Baldiski BIP

Narva BIP

Animal Breeding and Market Regulation Dep.Office of Animal BreedingOffice of Genetic ResourcesMarket Regulation Office Alcohol Regulation Office

General Dep.

Accounting Office

Budgeting Office

Personnel Office

Administrative Office

IT Office

County Veterinary Centres (15) Authorised Veterinarians

Organisation of Rabies control and prevention in Estonia

4

Ministry of Agriculture

Veterinary and Food Board

(strategy, surveillance, control)

15 district departments

Community veterinarians

Veterinary and Food Laboratory (lab. investigations)

3 regional laboratories

Veterinary and Food Department(legislation)

Authorities responsible for Rabies communication

Veterinary and Food BoardHealth InspectorateMinistry of AgricultureMinistry of Social AffairsVeterinary and Food Laboratory

Division of communication strategy

Communication in “peace time”Communication in case of suspicion/outbreak

Communication concerning oral vaccination (ORV) activities

General rules of communication (1)

Offer information in advancePrepare clear and well understandable

ground message (repeat message minimum 3 times)

“Translate” the message to the format receiving group understands

Give every possible kind of additional information needed

Time counts, be effective and punctual

General rules of communication (2)

Media is interested in conflict!Be tolerant and friendly Do not speculate nor lieDo not become emotional, even if

journalist provokes itDo not declare personal opinion, your

responsibility is to represent an authorityIf you are not the correct person to

comment, forward the problem

General rules of communication (3)

Antedate “fires”, prepare press releaseInform persons involved inside institution

about problematic situations in advanceIf feasible, ask to formulate questions and

give information out in written format to avoid misinterpretations

Ask to see the final text for commentingGive feedback to journalist (if possible,

positive one)

Legal bases of VFB`s communicationBasic legal acts

Law of Public InformationLaw of Public Service

Degree of Director General of VFB no 149 from 08.12.2010“ Rules to communicate with media”

SpeakersDirector General, Deputy Director

GeneralHead of Department, BureauHead of Local Veterinary CentreSpecialists of area

Communication in “peace time”Main messages:

To prevent rabies infection in domestic animals parenteral vaccination of pet animals is compulsory (paid by State), vaccination of agricultural animals in endangered area is suggestible.

It is obligatory to notify about every suspicion of rabies to veterinary authorities.

Local authorities shall organise the maintenance of records concerning dogs and, where necessary, of other household pets.

Target group- veterinarians, pet animal keepers, farmers, hunters, vet. students, foresters, local governments e.c. 11

Flow of information in case of rabies suspicion

Veterinary and Food Board

Local Veterinary

Centre

Open phone-line in VFB 605 47 50 (24 h.)

Local Veterinary Centre

Action by vet. official or authorised vet. (sampling, restrictions e.c.)

Suspicion

Website of VFB

Authorised or licensed veterinarian (most common way)

Flow of information in case of

rabies diagnoseVeterinary and Food

Laboratory

Local Health Board

Local Veterinary Centre

Veterinary and Food Board

Health Board

Hunters Organisation

European Commission

International Professional Unions

Info in web site

Press release

Communicationwith publicity

Local Hunters Organisation,Regional Government, regional press

(if feasible)

Positive rabies diagnose

Communication in case of suspicion/outbreak Main messages similar as in “peace time”

All unvaccinated pet animals should be vaccinated immediately (free of charge)

Authorised vet./vet. official decides need of vaccination of agricultural animals in endangered area (free of charge)

All suspected animals should be isolated/euthanized/tested for virus

Additional restrictions, if necessary (prohibition of hunting with dogs, animal exhibitions, shows e.c.)

All animal bites must be treated with extreme care, seek for medical attention (all procedures free of charge)

Communication concerning ORV activities in early stage (1)

First step- to convince decision-makers about pressing need to conduct large scale ORV for several years. Meetings, briefingsSpeeches Press releasesArticles, commentsWritten reports, applications

Communication with publicity most intense before and at the time of first ORV campaigns (2005-2008).

Communication concerning ORV activities in early stage (2)

To improve receiving rate of the message a leaflet (in Estonian and Russian) with vaccination activities description and suggestions of action were sent straight before each ORV campaign to all private postal addresses in countryside.

Regular communication at the time of ORV activities (1)

Press releases at the beginning and end of ORV campaigns

Up do date information concerning ORV activities (area to vaccinate on daily bases, maps) in main web page of VFB

Commercial in National TV and most popular private TV cannel at the time of ORV

Commercial in National radio station(in Estonian and in Russian)

Data concerning ORV area of certain day in news block of National radio station

Advertisement in local newspapers at the time when ORV is conducted in this county

Regular communication at the time of ORV activities (2)

• TV and radio interviews• Articles in press, comments • Open phone line 24 h. in VFB 605 47 50• Possibility to contact directly

• leader of vaccination team (mobile phone and e-mail published in advertisements and webpage)

• representative of vaccine company (mobile phone printed in warning-sign of each vaccine distributed)

Passive communication, web info, VFBData about rabies in question and answers

format with links to additional informationhttp://www.vet.agri.ee/?op=body&id=50Rabies booklethttp://www.vet.agri.ee/static/artiklid/123.Marutaudi%20infovoldik.pdf

Booklet of infectious diseases spread by small predators

http://www.vet.agri.ee/static/files/978.marutaud%20voldik.pdf

Passive communication, web info, Health InspectorateRabies in humanshttp://www.terviseamet.ee/fileadmin/dok/Nakkushaigused/nakkused/marutobi.pdf

Data concerning animal baitshttp://www.terviseamet.ee/fileadmin/dok/

Nakkushaigused/loomahammustused.pdf

Educating target groupsRegular training courses for vet. officials,

authorised veterinarians, licensed veterinarians, hunters

Booklets spread via veterinary centres, vet. clinics, hunters organisations, schools, kindergartens, local governments, health protection institutions, environment agencies e.c.

Thank you for attention !