Arabian Gulf University recently hosted a training session titled "Communication Skills for Developing Public Health Campaigns," organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain in collaboration with the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the university's Salmaniya campus.

The session aimed to equip participants with essential skills for effectively communicating health messages to the public. Participants received training on utilising video production tools and storytelling techniques to enhance the impact of awareness campaigns.

Additionally, the session featured a presentation on the theme for World No Tobacco Day 2025, "Unmasking the Appeal", as well as an overview of World Health Day 2025, themed "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures", focusing on maternal and child health as a foundation for building healthy societies.

Ms. Shanine Mohebat, Health Promotion Officer at the WHO Regional Office, emphasised that effective communication skills are crucial for the success of health awareness campaigns. She stressed the importance of adopting well-thought-out strategies and targeting specific audiences when designing health messages. The first step in developing successful campaigns is a comprehensive understanding of the audience, which involves analysing demographic and cultural characteristics and identifying behavioural and psychological barriers to change. She highlighted the necessity of segmenting the audience into specific groups to effectively tailor messages.  

Ms. Mohebat pointed out that health messages should be clear, simple, evidence-based, and incorporate both emotional and logical elements. She stressed the importance of crafting clear calls to action for specific health behaviours. It is essential to choose appropriate channels for each target group, whether through traditional media or digital platforms, while leveraging community partnerships. It is also vital to build trust through empathetic communication and active listening, besides employing esteemed community spokespeople to ensure effective message delivery. She underscored the importance of evaluating health messages before their launch and monitoring their impact post-implementation to achieve desired outcomes. Successful public health campaigns, she noted, depend heavily on intelligent, scientifically guided communication.

The session also included practical video production training for university students, aimed at developing their skills in this crucial area, enabling them to create innovative awareness campaigns that engage the public through effective visual language.