Mapping of Communication and Public Health Capabilities in Argentina

Abstract

In 2010 the Coordinación Nacional de Información Pública y Comunicación (CYPyC) and the Programa de Funciones Esenciales de Salud Pública (FESP), both of which depend on the Argentinean Health Ministry, dev eloped a national survey of aimed towards laying down a baseline which would contemplate the institutional communication capabilities of the national and provincial ministries, so as to improve their management and institutionalize their communications. The sample was composed of 113 communicators who were part of areas, managements, and programs of the National Health Ministry and of provincial ministries. The main areas of study were the needs, demands and expectations for technical assistance and the communications professionals’ capabilities, their experience and specific education, work conditions, knowledge of educational opportunities within their province, characteristics o f the provincial/municipal media system and that of the associative sec tor, among others. In this article we present the survey’s main findings and some preliminary evaluations of the current implementation initiatives which, for the purpose of empowerment, were drawn from the national survey’s conclusions.