Strategic Communication for Crisis Management in Public Health Institutions: Lessons from Nigeria and Beyond

Abstract

Strategic communication plays a central role in public health crisis management, especially during high-impact emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents a comparative case analysis of strategic communication practices across two public health institutions: the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the U.S.-based HEAL (Health Equity Action Lab), a data-focused public health initiative committed to advancing health equity and strengthening crisis response among underserved communities. Using a qualitative content analysis of secondary data, including institutional reports, press briefings, global frameworks (WHO, CDC), and scholarly evaluations, the study explores how communication clarity, transparency, timeliness, leadership visibility, and stakeholder engagement influenced public trust and crisis responsiveness. The analysis identifies key divergences and similarities in the communication strategies employed by each institution. HEAL demonstrated high leadership visibility and message clarity but lacked robust feedback mechanisms and transparency. NCDC showed improvement over time but was often constrained by reactive messaging and limited stakeholder inclusion. A thematic integration reveals that institutions with consistent messaging and participatory planning were better able to maintain public confidence and internal alignment. The study concludes by highlighting the consequences of weak strategic communication, such as public scepticism, misinformation spread, and non-compliance. It proposes a cross-context framework for strengthening crisis communication in future emergencies. These findings offer actionable insights for public health leaders and policymakers in both developed and developing settings.