A five-day training in Planning and Managing Social and Behavioral Change Communication Intervention (SBCC) in Health Sector was given to Executive Manager of Bir Hospital, a Doctor from TMAI, a Registered Nurse from Delhi, Project Head and Health Education coordinator from Health Department. It was started on 18th July and successfully concluded on Friday at Indian Institute of Health Management Research University, Jaipur.

The training extensively covered some important topics including Mental Models and Health, Strategic Communication and frameworks, Adapting to social media and behaviour change, Positioning and changing of BCC messages, Public Health Advocacy and Media Advocacy, Communication Participation, Using Photo Voice and Presenting BCC Plan. This training is basically for training of trainers.

IIHMR professors; Dr. Singdha Pareek, Dr. Prem Singh, Professor Anoop Khanna, Dr. Seema Mehta, Professor Neetu Purohit, Dr. S.D. Gupta, Chairman and Dr. Vimal Sharma – Professor of IHD, Chester University are among the resource persons who imparted their knowledge and experiences in the field of SBCC.

The five day course ended with presentation by participants on how SBCC can be applied in implementing a project, which was followed by valuable speech by Ms. Neetu Purohit, Associate Professor- Program coordinator and Dr. P. R. Sadoni, Dean, IIMHR. Dr. Sadoni said that the participants should implement what they have learned during the workshop and apply the techniques in their daily work. He also told that SBCC can create desirable situation from undesirable situation through finding gaps, interventions, monitoring and evaluation.

Dr. Sadoni handed over the Certificates to all the participants.  Finally, Project Head, Ms. Tenzin Kunsang offered scarf and thanked Dr. Sadoni and Ms. Purohit for the program and hospitality.

The Department of Health could send these staff to IIHMR, Jaipur under the financial support of USAID through the Tibet Fund. This the first batch of SBCC training for DoH health staff.