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Archive for "Advocacy"



Advocacy &Announcement &Elimination Bill Brieger | 17 Oct 2016

Malaria Day in The Americas Forum

In commemoration of Malaria Day in the Americas 2016

The Pan American Health Organization, The UN Foundation, The Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University, and Center for Communication Programs at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Cordially invite you to attend the

“End Malaria for Good” Forum

Featuring videos, presentations and discussions on

The work of the ‘Malaria Champions of the Americas 2016’

malariaevite-2016-americasWHEN: Thursday, November 3, 2016, TIME: 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Room B, PAHO Headquarters, 525 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC—20037

RSVP: Please fill out the form at https://goo.gl/0oaPzX

Light refreshments will be served

Advocacy &IPTp &Malaria in Pregnancy Bill Brieger | 26 Oct 2015

Health systems strengthening: Advocacy facilitates availability of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for prevention of malaria in pregnancy in Kenya

Colleagues[1] from Jhpiego’s Kenya office and the Ministry of Health are presenting a poster at the 64th ASTMH Annual Meeting in Philadelphia at noon on Tuesday 27th October 2015. Please stop by Poster LB-5225 and discuss the results as presented in the Abstract below.

Kenya PfIn malaria endemic areas, infection with malaria during pregnancy is often associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Although effective intervention measures are available including use of sulfadoxine pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) coverage rates have remained low.

In Kenya, IPTp2 is at 38% in malaria endemic counties some of the key factors influencing IPTp uptake being SP stock-outs. The national government has been supplying SP but on devolution of health services to county governments it became the responsibility of the counties. There are many competing financial demands at county level and SP stock out is frequent.

ANC KenyaIn February 2015 the national government disseminated a memo to county governments advising them to procure SP to avert the worsening SP stock out situation. After issuance of the memo, USAID’S flagship Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) held discussions with the County Directors of Health (CDHs) and shared the quantification formula for SP requirement for the respective counties.

MCSP advocated for procurement of SP especially during the peak malaria transmission period May-August 2015. The CDHs on realizing the cost was not high made immediate arrangements for procurement of SP.

Bungoma County procured enough SP tablets to cover the peak malaria transmission season and distributed them to the health facilities. Results on analysed ANC data from facilities showed that the number of pregnant women accessing IPTp had reduced from 7,845 in October 2014 to 3,856 in February 2015.

IPTp coverageOne month after procurement and distribution of SP, the number accessing SP increased from 3,856 to 6,769. To improve pregnancy outcomes in malaria endemic areas it is vital to reduce the effects of malaria during pregnancy. Use of IPTp-SP during pregnancy has been shown to improve pregnancy outcomes however, coverage rates of the intervention have remained below the national target due to several influencing factors like the SP stock-out situation experienced in Kenya.

The use of advocacy with relevant authorities in Bungoma County leading to improvement in the SP stock out situation is considered a best practice in ensuring health commodity security and is being replicated in other malaria endemic counties.

[1] Augustine M. Ngindu, Gathari G. Ndirangu, Wekesa Kubasu, Isaac M. Malonza

 

Advocacy &Drug Quality &Invest in Malaria Control &IPTp &Malaria in Pregnancy &Treatment Bill Brieger | 22 Apr 2015

World Malaria Day 2015 Blog Postings Help #DefeatMalaria

wmd2015logoA special World Malaria Day 2015 Blog has been established. So far nine postings are available at http://www.worldmalariaday.org/blog. Please read and share with colleagues.

1. “Investing in integrated health services to defeat malaria”BY ELAINE ROMAN, MCSP Malaria Team Lead.

2. “Fake antimalarials: how big is the problem?”

BY DÉBORA MIRANDA, Technical Communications Officer, ACT Consortium (UK).

3. “Why antimalarial medicines matter”WMD15_7_Facebook_Final

BY PROFESSOR PAUL NEWTON AND ANDREA STEWART, Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network and Laos Oxford University Mahosot Hospital Wellcome Trust Research Unit.

4. “Malaria as an entry point for addressing other conditions”

BY HELEN COUNIHAN, Senior Public Health Specialist, Community Health Systems.

5. “Bridging the Care-Seeking Gap with ProAct”

BY MATT McLAUGHLIN, Program Manager of Peace Corps Stomping Out Malaria in Africa initiative.

WMD15_6a_Facebook_Final6. “Defeating Malaria in Pregnancy”

BY CATHERINE NDUNGU, ELAINE ROMAN AND AUGUSTINE NGINDU, Jhpiego.

7. “Intermittent Preventive Treatment, a Key Tool to Prevent and Control Malaria in Pregnancy”

BY CLARA MENÉNDEZ, Director of ISGlobal’s Maternal Child and Reproductive Health Initiative.

8. “Widespread artemisinin resistance could wipe out a decade of malaria investment”

BY TIM FRANCE, Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance.

9. “The long walk to a malaria-free world”

BY DAVID REDDY, CEO Medicines for Malaria Venture.

Advocacy &Malaria in Pregnancy Bill Brieger | 24 Mar 2015

Supporting one Another: Female Nurses in Senegal helping Women have Malaria-free Pregnancies

Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the ZeroPalucommitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign

International Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the eighth and final feature on women fighting malaria in Senegal ……

Nurse, Health Center, Guédiawaye District, Senegal

Nurse, Health Center, Guédiawaye District, Senegal

Nurses at the health center in Senegal’s Guédiawaye district bring their expertise to tirelessly provide essential malaria services to all community members. Of particular importance are pregnant women, a vulnerable group which must have access to prevention and treatment tools to ensure healthy pregnancies and healthy newborns.

Reducing the rate of infection to protect mothers and children is key, and remains one of the most pressing health issues facing the malaria community today. Pregnant women are at a higher risk for malaria as pregnancy reduces a woman’s immunity. Without the acquisition and use of insecticide treated mosquito nets and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), there is an increased risk of women (particularly those in their first and second pregnancies) contracting malaria, which can result in premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth.

iwd_squareEach nurse’s job is twofold, to ensure women have the proper information and tools to prevent and treat malaria cases, and to ensure clear communication with her health post for what is needed in the community. Nurses are essential and their work is applauded on International Women’s day, as we recognize amazing examples of women supporting their fellow women to ensure health needs are met.

*****

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.

Advocacy &Economics &Funding Bill Brieger | 22 Mar 2015

Investing in Malaria at the Country Level: removing the financial burden on the poor

wmdlogoWorld Malaria Day 2015 is continuing a 3-year theme of promoting continued financial resource commitment to control and eliminate the disease. Investing in malaria can take many forms, the most obvious of which is the large donor agency grants from the Global Fund (GFATM), the US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), DfID, and the World Bank Malaria Booster Program, a name a few. International and local businesses and corporations also provide a share usually through their corporate social responsibility and employee health projects.

Cost recovery systems are not uncommon

Cost recovery systems are not uncommon

The global financial crisis that began in 2008 lingers in many corners of the world, and has caused thoughtful concern since then about how global disease control efforts can be sustained. In relation to malaria, this concern must take account of the fact that when interventions (ITNs, ACTs, RDTs, IPT) are scaled up and sustained, incidence will drop and the nature of programming and financial commitments will change. A greater emphasis on surveillance, identification of hotspots, response to epidemics, and import of cases from neighboring countries will take the foreground. All this will still require financial support, but where will it come from?

Many of the frontline malaria elimination countries in Africa do not receive external financial support but rely on their own national treasury. As incidence in other endemic countries drops, will the same be expected of them? It is important therefore to look at the current pattern on national commitment to funding malaria control and eventual elimination, including whether countries are devoting 15% of their annual budgets to health. Unfortunately in many countries household out-of-pocket expenditures for malaria services form the bulk of national funding for the disease, a major burden in terms of health equity.

medicine shops are a common place for out-of-pocket malaria  expenditures

medicine shops are a common place for out-of-pocket malaria expenditures

Cost recovery schemes have been tried in Burkina Faso. Rwanda has instituted community insurance programs. Yet these efforts still put a major financial burden on the poor. Ironically, while the poor pay more, the rich, both individuals, and corporations (national and multi-national) in malaria endemic countries conduct illicit financial transfers out of the country or evade local taxes.

Ultimately the challenges of political accountability for results and financial management within countries to citizens, domestic civil society and other non-state actors must be resolved if governments are going to take on a growing role for eliminating the malaria burden within their borders. Monetary investments alone cannot eliminate malaria. Political will must also be invested to close financial gaps, mobilize resources from various sectors and create a true partnership to end malaria.

(A longer version of this article will appear in the March 2015 issue of Africa Health.)

Advocacy &Communication Bill Brieger | 19 Mar 2015

Leading by Example: President of Senegalese AIESEC-CESAG supports the Zero Malaria! Count Me In! campaign

Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the ZeroPalucommitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign

International Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the seventh feature on women fighting malaria……

Massandjé Touré, President AIESEC-CESAG

Massandjé Touré, President AIESEC-CESAG (Centre Africain d’Etudes Supérieures en Gestion)

Massandjé Touré is the President of Senegalese AIESEC-CESAG, a youth-led network creating positive impact through personal development and shared global experiences. The AIESEC association believes that every young person deserves the chance, and tools, to fulfill their potential, this is why it provides young people, self-driven, practical, global experiences.

As part of the Zero Malaria! Count Me In campaign, Massandjé Touré, signed the Declaration of Commitment on July 10, 2014, at the National Malaria Control Program in Senegal (NMCP), alongside the NMCP Coordinator, Dr. Mady Ba.

AIESEC-CESAGTo further the commitment of AIESEC-CESAG, the students enrolled in the Sama Video, Sunu Santé (My video, Our Health) programme. This programme gives the opportunity to children, living in rural communities, to express themselves on their own health issues by writing and creating short films with the help of tutor. The first edition of this programme took place in the rural community of Fimela.

The second edition is now taking place in collaboration with Sup’Imax students, a higher education audiovisual school, AIESEC – CESAG students, Ibrahima Thiaw Junior High, PATH, the National Malaria Control Program and Speak Up Africa, in the frame of the Zero Malaria! Count Me In campaign.

Thank you Massandjé for leading by example and joining the Zero Malaria! Count Me In campaign and bringing awareness to all your fellow students, in Senegal and Africa.

*****

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.

Advocacy &Community Bill Brieger | 17 Mar 2015

The neighborhood godmothers – “Badjenu Gox” – pledge to have Zero Malaria in Senegal

Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the commitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign

ZeroPaluInternational Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the sixth feature on women fighting malaria……

Ndèye Fatou Diallo is the National President of the Badjenu Gox (neighborhood godmothers in Wolof, one of the languages spoken in Senegal). She lives in Grand Dakar and is responsible for the Badjenu Gox in 557 towns across Senegal.

5. Ndeye Fatou Diallo ENG

Ndèye Fatou Diallo, National President, Badjenou Gox, Senegal.

Ndèye Fatou Diallo and her fellow Badjenu Gox are committed to making a difference in the lives of their neighbors.

The Badjenu Gox program was launched in January 2009 in every village of Senegal to leverage the presence and the leadership of women in the communities.

The “Badjenu Gox” program aims to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality to achieve MDGs 4, 5 and 6. Chosen by the community, the Badjenu Gox are volunteers that live in the communities and work to ensure systematic use of health services by the communities. This community led approach program allows community ownership of the health issues that affect them.

The Badjenu Gox are trained and provided with the appropriate tools they need to raise awareness about maternal and child health, including around malaria prevention and iwd_squarecontrol. They do so through home visits and by holding sensitization meetings in their neighborhoods.

*****

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.

 

 

Advocacy &ITNs &Treatment Bill Brieger | 11 Mar 2015

“Zero Malaria! Count Me In!”: Senegal’s national commitment to the Last Mile to Malaria Elimination

Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the commitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign

ZeroPaluInternational Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the fifth feature on women fighting malaria.

Mrs. Oulèye Bèye, Head of the Prevention & Partnership Department at the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), likes to remind us the national claim stating that “Technicians cure malaria but communities fight it”. It is a simple, yet powerful statement that summarizes the very purpose of all our endeavors. Efforts to reach remote populations and positively change communities’ behaviors are a constant battle for the NMCP.

3. Ouleye Beye ENG

Mrs. Oulèye Bèye, National Malaria Control Program, Senegal

The scale up of proven interventions recommended by the World Health Organization, have been essential in achieving this drastic decrease in malaria mortality rates over the years. These strategies include ensuring the availability of Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in health facilities, the mass distribution of free mosquito nets and the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests.

To be effective, all of them require significant and unconditional uptake by beneficiaries. Needless to say that the successes achieved through effective and safe malaria control campaigns, a strong national leadership and a dynamic set of partners are all at risk, if we fail to realize that populations must no longer be considered as plain beneficiaries but as stakeholders of utmost importance.

iwd_squareBy leading the effort around the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign at the national level, Ouleye strives to create a popular movement and actively engage each and every Senegalese citizen in the fight for a malaria-free Senegal. Sensitization and awareness raising must be the first step of any malaria elimination intervention if we want to achieve positive results in the long run.

*****

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.

Advocacy &Community Bill Brieger | 11 Mar 2015

Counting on Sadane Ndiaye and other community supervisors like her to eliminate malaria in Senegal

Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the commitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign

ZeroPaluInternational Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the fourth feature on women fighting malaria.

Along with 369 community supervisors throughout Senegal, Sadane Ndiaye of the Keur Momar Sarr district completed a one-week comprehensive training to learn all aspects of malaria treatment, prevention and care as a part of the Football Combatting Malaria Program (FCM). FCM, implemented through a partnership with local health districts, the National Malaria Control Program, Speak Up Africa, Aspire Academy, and the Leo Messi Foundation, catalyzes grassroots advocacy and behavior change communication to further reduce the burden of malaria in the community.

Sadane Ndiaye, Supervisor, Football Combating Malaria, Senegal

Sadane Ndiaye, Supervisor, Football Combating Malaria, Senegal

At the end of the week-long course, which included key information on how to install and properly maintain insecticide treated mosquito nets, Sadane became a Community Supervisor, charged with returning to her community and training four additional change agents. Daily, Sadane leads this team in malaria awareness activities including household visits, lectures, and social mobilization activities, reaching hundreds of community members and making a sustainable impact.

Football Combating Malaria aims to emphasize communication and community leadership to beat this disease. As a community supervisor, Sadane sets the example of exactly that which is needed to reach a malaria free Senegal.

iwd_squareThank you Sadane for joining the national malaria elimination effort and educating your fellow community members around malaria prevention and treatment.

*****

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.

Advocacy Bill Brieger | 10 Mar 2015

Leading by Example: Ndeye Marieme Ba, Basketball Coach at SEED Academy supports the Zero Malaria! Count Me In campaign

Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the commitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign

iwd_squareInternational Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the third feature on women fighting malaria.

Ndeye Marieme Ba is a basketball coach and a physical education teacher at Malick Sy, Junior High School in Thies. She is dedicated to enabling change in Senegal by focusing on the youth and using sports as a platform to educate them about malaria and other diseases that may threaten their healthy future.

Ndeye Marieme Ba, Basketball Coach at SEED Academy in Thies, Senegal

Ndeye Marieme Ba, Basketball Coach at SEED Academy in Thies, Senegal

Increasingly, sport is used to help improve the lives of those who need it the most. Basketball is the third most popular sport after wrestling and football, and at SEED Academy, it is used as a tool to promote education and teach life skills. The SEED Academy campus, situated in Thies, was opened to boys in 2002, and combines sport and education to train the next generation of elite players in Senegal. Following heavy demand from girls, eager to join, a female course was set up.

The burden of malaria is the heaviest in Africa, where an estimated 90% of all malaria deaths occur. In 2013, children under 5 account for 78% of all deaths. Bringing awareness among the leaders of tomorrow is fundamental to put an end to malaria deaths in Africa.

Thank you Ndeye Marieme for leading by example and allowing Senegal’s future citizens to have a “healthy mind in a healthy body”.

*****

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.

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