Maintaining citizen trust in the capacity of the public health system to safely control infection risk in various settings is key to ensuring appropriate care-seeking behaviour and adherence to public health advice.

In that regard, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is an essential component of health emergency preparedness and response. It also has a very important role in breaking the chains of transmission and consequently in mitigating the impact of COVID-19.

This project aims to ensure that all inhabitants of Montenegro adhere to measures introduced by the Government in response to COVID-19, as well as to ensure the continuity of immunisation services during the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining trust in immunisation.

The project is expected to result in enhanced capacities of the public health system to implement an effective and coordinated communication and community engagement strategy to respond to COVID-19 and mitigate its impact on families, children and youth, as well as on vulnerable groups. In other words, as immunisation is a key component of primary health care, it is expected that providing clear, accurate and evidence-based messages on immunisation will likely lead to strengthened public confidence in immunisation.

Furthermore, it is expected that this project will lead to a public health system with increased technical capacity and an improved vaccine management system to ensure continuity of immunisation services and increase vaccination coverage in the country.

The project ends in January 2023.