Recently, I’ve spent most of my time investigating strategic communications and public health campaigns targeting ethnic minority communities. My findings have been enlightening. Pursuing health equity is not a lost cause. The health Inequality gap we see today can be bridged, but we need to have the WILL first. As they say, “When there is a will, there is a way.”
Many public health campaigns have made great strides, but too many vital messages still aren’t reaching our ethnic minority communities. We know what the data in these communities say, and it’s not where it should be yet. I believe it’s time we go back to the drawing board to rethink where and how we communicate. Providing only a translated version of our comms materials is unsustainable today.
I have observed that while public broadcasts and social media ads reach many, they often miss those who rely on closed social media networks—for instance, WhatsApp, Telegram, community/faith-based Facebook groups and the like.
Campaign managers and public health communicators shouldn’t sleep on this. These closed social media platforms are where family advice is shared, trusted voices amplify information, and everyday conversations happen in the language and style people understand. The spread of information within these closed social media platforms is faster than what any billboard, TV or social media ads can achieve.
Imagine co-creating bite-sized health tips with community champions and sharing them directly in local WhatsApp circles—complete with translated infographics, voice notes from trusted leaders, or live Q&As in native languages. Or offering Telegram “newsrooms” for rapid myth-busting during outbreaks, moderated by bilingual health officers to answer questions in real-time. Just imagine!
It’s not as easy as it sounds, but when there is a will, there will be a way. I know we must navigate privacy and consent carefully. That’s why partnership must be at the centre, not forcing down a message in their throats. Partnering with community organisations, co-designing content, and training group admins on data safety will ensure respect and trust. I believe embedding messages in existing social fabrics can transform passive audiences into active participants in their own health journeys.
#PublicHealth #HealthEquity #DigitalComms #CommunityEngagement #EthnicMinorities #WhatsApp #Telegram #Facebook #HealthInnovation #BehaviourChange #TrustedVoices
