Six years ago, COVID-19 changed the world—millions died, many more were hospitalized, economies were shattered, government budgets were gutted, and trust in institutions atrophied in many countries. Today, however, it is extremely challenging to engage in a public dialogue regarding how to prevent and respond to the next pandemic. Why is this, and what can we do to change this? As the world faces new challenges, many people would prefer not to dwell upon an experience that they would prefer to forget.
But collective amnesia won’t stop the next pathogen. For health security technocrats, the battle has moved beyond viral variants and funding mechanisms—it’s a fundamental communications challenge to make an exhausted public care again.
Recognizing this reality, Aceso Global recently partnered with Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and the ACPHEED* Secretariat Establishment Organization (ACSEO) to host a communications workshop focused on strengthening core communication skills for health security. The workshop centered on practical skills and co-producing the basics of a communications strategy in small group exercises with overarching thematic takeaways.
These sessions crystallized three foundational truths that redefine how we approach technical health security.
1. Communication is one of the most important, yet least appreciated, health security capabilities.
When people hear the term health security, they often think of surveillance systems, laboratories, emergency operations centers, healthcare workers, vaccines, and medicines. While these are all essential components of health security, none can exist, function effectively, or be sustained without political and financial support.
Before a health emergency, communication is essential for building political support, financial commitments, and generating public engagement and buy-in to prioritize health security mechanisms. During a health emergency, communication is an operational capability in its own right by facilitating cross-border and inter-agency coordination, timely information sharing, and the dissemination of public health guidance to the public.
Effective communication is a critical capability that underpins both the establishment and operation of health security mechanisms. Like surveillance or workforce development, communication should be viewed as a foundational “glue” that creates cohesion and synergy among technical health security components, both within and between countries.
2. Communication is about effective messages aimed at the right audiences.
Effective communication requires more than simply disseminating information. It requires understanding your audience to develop a set of key messages targeted at individuals or groups who can support health security by asking fundamental questions such as, What are we trying to achieve? Who are we trying to reach? What do they need to understand?
A minister of health, a technical expert, a donor, and a member of the public may all need to hear about the same initiative—but not in the same way. For example, a finance ministry official may be more receptive to evidence demonstrating the economic costs of future pandemics, while a political leader may respond more strongly to messages highlighting the political implications of health security preparedness.
The underlying facts and objective remain the same; however, the framing changes to reflect each audience’s priorities.
3. Technical expertise is essential to health security, but expertise alone does not create impact.
Experts must be able to translate complex ideas into language that is clear, engaging, and actionable. Effective communication does not mean sacrificing scientific integrity and oversimplification. Rather, it’s focused on making technical expertise accessible so that policymakers, partners, and the public can engage, understand, and act upon it.
By fostering increased buy-in and understanding, health security experts can shift the dynamic from “Why would we support this?” to “What can we do to help make sure a pandemic never devastates our country or region again?”
The Big Picture
As memories of COVID-19 fade and new priorities compete for political attention, passive approaches to health security are not enough. Strategic communication is the tool that locks in political commitment, safeguards public trust, and ensures that investments in preparedness remain a priority.
For regional powerhouses, like ACPHEED aims to become once established, building this communication capability is not a secondary task—it is a core operational necessity. Ultimately, embedding robust coordination mechanisms and mutual support frameworks will enable Member States to work together more effectively to protect their populations.
*ACPHEED: ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases