Public Health Communication and the Exclusion of Minority Languages in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Public health communication is imperative to every livelihood including minorities. Language, however, remains one of the fundamentals of communication that can make the message reach the people. This chapter focuses on health awareness campaigns on Facebook community radio to analyse public health communication in Zimbabwe's minority languages. The authors used community radio platforms on the assumption that local languages such as minority languages can at least find space on community radio. However, a qualitative content analysis on radio content on Facebook reveals the dominance of Shona (major indigenous language) and English in public health communication by health authorities and representatives of the ruling party. There were a few exceptions of minority languages used in code-switch with English. Theorising effective communication to minorities, this chapter notes that governments should prioritise public health communication in minority languages through open collaborative networks by making use of language translation and community leadership in health awareness campaigns.

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