Introduction

Community engagement within health is critical for achieving primary care and

promoting people-centered programs. It will help with health intervention buy-in and

sustainability, health promotion, increased service efficiency and contribute to health system

resilience and strengthening. Community engagement refers to the involvement and

participation of individuals, groups and structures within a parameter of a social boundary or

catchment area of a community for decision-making, planning, design, governance and delivery

of services. It is used as a parent notion with terms like communication, networking, social

mobilization, community engagement, political action, and empowerment, with emphasis on the

agency of community members or groups, considering them as active rather than passive

participants. Community participation is regarded as critical in many health initiatives, including

communicable disease and maternal and child health initiatives, and has recently been

regarded as a critical factor during outbreaks. The way people interact and live with each other

through their structures, as well as their historical pathways require considerations on how to

effectively adapt and respond to any disease outbreak. Experience with public health

emergencies of international concern highlights the need for contextually appropriate community

engagement strategies. Furthermore, a new rapid study identified core lessons in risk

communication for epidemic prevention as communities playing a central role in the response,

involving political officials and organizations, tailoring approaches to communities, and ensuring

two-way communication.

In relation to COVID-19, community engagement may be important for developing local

and context-specific preventive and control responses. Through this ‘bottom-up approach’,

communities engage in ‘decision-making processes of planning, construction, policy, and

implementation of programs aimed at promoting population wellbeing and mitigating health

inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic as a total social phenomenon should include actively
engaging and adapting local views, voices and concerns in health crisis response efforts. the

WHO's proposed COVID-19 prevention and control strategies, such as physical–social

distancing, case recognition, and contact tracing require an understanding of the various social

dynamics in communities and how these can better be leveraged to mitigate the pandemic's

impact.

However, there is concern about the lack of community participation within COVID-.

Rajan and colleagues point out that only a few WHO member states reporting to have a COVID-

19 community engagement plan. The science group, led mostly by social scientists, has urged

funders and implementers to focus on the importance of community participation for COVID-19,

with other international partners such as WHO, UNICEF, and the International Federation of

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) echoing its importance. This concern must be

understood given that, at the start of the pandemic, there was a propensity to prioritize

biomedical and epidemiological approaches, even though international stakeholders defined

certain recommendations on risk coordination and community involvement early and gradually.

Recent reviews on global data for COVID-19 have centered on community health workers

(CHWs) providing important evidence and insights to guide response. However, there is no

evidence that addresses how community engagement can be used for COVID-19 prevention

and control. Thus, I made this case study As a result, I created this case study to review on

community engagement for infectious disease prevention and control in order to learn lessons

for COVID-19 and future pandemic response.

Overview of the Situation

Community engagement supports shaping social dynamics based on power and control

that perpetuate the marginalization of certain groups. The actors involved in mobilization and

decision-making must be perceived as credible by the rest of the community.  Recognizing that

authority and prestige are disputed tools that can shift through the epidemic is critical for

effective community engagement. It must begin early and continue after the critical stages of the

health crisis to contribute to empowerment and the development of resilient

communities. Addressing COVID-19 will require multisectoral responses and a variety of

approaches. Community engagement should be a fundamental component within all of these

responses. Whether it be related to prevention and control, vaccine testing and ethics or

resilience and recovery, community engagement can support successful efforts. It can also

have fundamental roles in rebuilding a stronger health system after the more acute phase of

COVID-19 and supporting an equity-focused public health response. However, for all of these to

work, community engagement needs to be meaningful, to follow best practice recommendations

and guidelines, and to be specific to the context.

Analysis

In relation to COVID-19 pandemic and Community Engagement, the information

provided was analyzed and assessed by the Concept of Community: Its functions in terms

of Structure, Processes and Dynamics

1. Social Participation. To the people, it is incumbent on the community to foster solidarity

despite diversity through services or events that put people together rather than breaking them

apart, such as the conduct of a COVID 19 pandemic symposium, or activities that encourage

inclusion of all regardless of caste, social background, academic achievement or professional

stature, or even political status.

2. Health Care. This function is critical because it contributes to the people's and community's

existence. This feature encompasses activities that promote health awareness and

consciousness over the use of media such as radio or television advertisements about the

Covid19, dissemination of leaflets, and postings about the disease. Strictly enforcing health

guidelines would assist in the continuation of programs. Health care as a function is not merely

focused on the provision of medical needs but instilling heath-consciousness in the people as

well.

3. Economic. It is the community's duty to ensure its survival by taking responsibility for the so-

called development and delivery of goods as well as the provision of services to the residents.

Especially this time that we are in the midst of pandemic where many people lost their source of

income. This is consistent with economic values. Along with this role, the community must

ensure food security for the population, especially for basic needs, as well as controlled

commodity prices and regulated delivery of goods. Aside from that, the society is also

responsible for providing a means of livelihood for the inhabitants, primarily through agriculture,

such as fishing and farming, and industry.

Recommendations

 Early discussions and negotiation with communities to understand sociocultural contexts

and developing culturally appropriate prevention and control strategies, what types of

engagement interventions are safe, feasible and acceptable, and what existing platforms

and initiatives can be leveraged to support COVID-19 activities.

 COVID-19 pandemic management teams incorporate community members into

planning, response and monitoring of standard operating procedures. These plans

should be disseminated within communities to ensure support. This should include

topics of

a. Population movement monitoring, surveillance and contact tracing systems

discussed.

b. Community remote monitoring and alert systems.

c. Community response mechanisms if cases occur, including social isolation

procedures, enacting contract tracing, quarantine procedures and community

quarantine options.

d. Lockdown, isolation or quarantine support, especially for vulnerable populations,

including distribution of essential supplies.

e. Referral pathways and medical supply procurement for serious cases. –

Planning and community sensitization on safe burials.

 Health and safety considerations should be collaboratively identified and addressed in

planning stages. These include the safe structuring of engagement activities, such as

delivery mode of engagement; appropriate distancing measures for face-to-face

interactions; quarantine or isolation procedures of community; availability of water and

sanitation supplies; resource procurement for engagement actors, such as personal

 protective equipment; and protocols for suspected/confirmed contact with COVID-19-

positive persons.

Conclusion

COVID-19’s global presence and social transmission pathways require social and

community responses. This can be especially critical in reaching out to marginalized

communities and supporting equity-informed responses. Previous epidemic experience

shows that community engagement can take multiple forms and involve a variety of actors and

approaches that support a wide range of prevention and control operations, such as design and

planning, community entry and trust building, social and behavior change communication, risk

communication, monitoring and tracing, and logistics and administration. Countries worldwide

are encouraged to assess existing community engagement structures and to use community

engagement approaches to support contextually specific, acceptable and appropriate COVID-19

prevention and control measures. Thus, I conclude that my community has effectively and

efficiently performed the functions of a community in terms of structure, processes and

dynamics even in the face of the COVID19 pandemic.