Vital Strategies’ latest round of communications training in Vietnam saw more than 140 health communicators from 63 provinces come together to learn the latest in tobacco control strategic communications.
Two workshops were held – one in Hanoi from September 28-29 and a second in Ho Chi Minh City on from October 1-2.
Vital Strategies teamed up with the Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund (VNTCF) to teach the workshops with participants from Health Information and Education Centers (HIECs) of city/provincial Health Departments.
The two-day workshops taught participants how to develop communications plans to increase awareness about the dangers of smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, and how to support implementation of Vietnam’s smokefree laws and encourage smokers to quit.
They learned how to define campaign objectives, set main and secondary target audiences, determine which are the best communications channels to use, message pre-testing, campaign optimization and evaluation.
The workshop included a mix of traditional media (TV and radio) and social media and advice on how to most effectively use a mix of broadcast channels and interactive channels to drive positive change toward 100% smokefree public places and increased motivation for smokers to successfully quit their smoking.
The workshops were attended by Professor Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the VNTCF. On behalf of Ministry of Health, VNTCF and VINACOSH, Professor Khue expressed sincere thanks to the Vital Strategies, the organization that has been actively supporting Vietnam tobacco control since 2009.