Communication, particularly popular communication, is often ignored and remains a weak area for public health advocates. Potentially synergistic partners that could stand together at the frontline of health communications mistrust each other. The government thinks the media is only interested in scandal, the media thinks everything official is corrupt and bad. Public health infrastructures will be further enhanced by developing the communication skills of key actors in each of the target countries. The initiative will seek to unlock value at every step.
Leadership is key.
The initiative aims to engage and support nationally based social entrepreneurs and change agents from the media, NGO community, health professions or private sector in each of the target countries. Project resources will be leveraged through strategic partnerships and matching grant support. This initiative goes beyond the WHO and will engage and become available to the entire UN family, international health institutions and bilateral aid agencies. In these ways the Tobacco Free World media initiative will knit together issues of awareness, action, assistance and alliances in its bid to construct a strategic broad-based international tobacco control platform. This platform must be based on evidence.