The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 20 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Using Cell Phones to Teach Pandemic Flu Preparedness

1 comment
Summary

The article explains how a team from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) has developed an interactive tool using mobile phones to educate the public about pandemic flu. The free, interactive media, called Mobile PanFlu Prep, can be downloaded to a cell phone as one would download an interactive game. A series of menu items and audio provide the user with information on flu symptoms, advice on avoiding the flu, and a checklist to prepare for pandemic flu. The checklist gives specific information on how to prepare, including stockpiling supplies such as: water and non-perishable food; first-aid kit, flashlight, batteries and portable radio; face masks; and soap and alcohol-based hand wipes.

Mobile PanFlu Prep is available in English and Spanish and contains rich graphics, animations, voice-overs, branching, scrolling text and record-keeping. The initial rollout of Mobile PanFlu Prep will be available at no cost in the United States to select phones in the Sprint, Cingular and T-Mobile networks. Users can also download the application from the Public Health Games website.


According to article, the U.S. federal government have encouraged individuals, organisations and communities to prepare for a possible pandemic outbreak. The UIC team predicts that innovations in mobile phone technology will play an important role in education and training, as well as communicating timely information to the public about future disease outbreaks and disaster-driven emergencies. The developers envision building a series of interactive media for mobile phones that might include training for chemical, biological and radiological emergencies. The article states that such developments will require co-operation among the various mobile phone carriers.

Web link
to read the full article online.
Source

Email from Katherine Crawford to The Communication Initiative, February 24 2006.

Comments

User Image
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/05/2009 - 06:42 Permalink

Well reported. We need to keep pandemic planning at the forefront of every business manager's mind. It won't go away so better start preparing.

For free references, resources and to join their free pandemic preparedness email ecourse program go to Bird Flu Manual Online or, if you need more comprehensive tutorials, tools and templates, consider Bird Flu D-I-Y eManual for your pandemic planning.