Team uses Afghan airwaves to counter flu misinformation

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne
  • Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs
NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team servicemembers recently took to the airwaves to combat misinformation about the spread of the H1N1 flu virus here.

Navy Lt. Jennifer Dreiling, team senior medical officer from McLean, Va., and Navy Lt. j.g. Stacy Gross, team information operations officer from Lakeville, Minn., broadcast public health messages about the virus Nov. 19 on Radio Kalagush, a U.S.-funded Afghan radio station transmitting from Forward Operating Base Kalagush.

The messages informed people how to respond to the common cold or H1N1 symptoms and what to do if they suspect they have the virus, Lieutenant Gross said.

Military officials in Nuristan say insurgent forces have spread misinformation on how the H1N1 is contracted and where it comes from.

"Part of the aim of the messages themselves is to dispel those rumors, like you can contract the disease by eating pork or that H1N1 was brought to Afghanistan and spread by coalition forces," Lieutenant Dreiling said.

Every radio message the team broadcasts with useful information about the virus is another opportunity to take power away from the enemy's information campaign, she said.

The radio messages are successful, Lieutenant Dreilling said, because they "make the people feel like they have control of their own situation, and it's empowering for them to know what's going on around them."

The Nuristan team releases public health radio messages at least once a week.

(Courtesy of American Forces Press Service)