Communication for Health Care

This issue of The Soul Beat focuses on information from the Soul Beat Africa network for and about the use of communication to promote health care, with emphasis on health care workers and providers. If you would like to join the network and share your experiences, research or publications please contact Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com

EXPERIENCES

1. Laxassayu Ngir Wèr Gi Yaram (Radio Distance Learning Programme for Community Health Workers) - Senegal

A 26-episode learning programme that aims to overcome Senegalese health challenges by improving the level of health workers’ knowledge. The workshop to write the series involved participants from different backgrounds of the health sector, communication, education, and relay workers, writers, various partner agencies and USAID.

Contact Ma Umba Mabiala mmabiala@jhuccp.org OR Amelie Sow asow@jhuccp.org

2. AfriAfya - Kenya

Established in 2001, AfriAfya explores how to harness Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) for community health in Kenya. For the pilot phase of this project, HIV/AIDS was selected as the topic. Content was generated from the experience and questions provided by the communities involved and information repackaged and sent out for use by frontline health workers in dealing with health problems and questions raised.

Contact Caroline Nyamai cnyamai@afriafya.org

3. Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) - Uganda

Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) is a non-profit organisation in Uganda that plans to send short messaging service (SMS) text messages alerts on disease outbreak to health workers in rural areas via mobile phones. Project organisers say although Uganda has a low internet penetration, mobile phones are more common. CTPH has developed a system to send SMS text
messages to the mobile phones of rural healthcare workers to inform them of new disease outbreaks.

Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka gladys@ctph.org

4. WiRED International's Community Health Information Centre (CHIC) Project - Kenya

The health information centre houses four or more networked computers and a medical CD-ROM collection, with trained staff members to help visitors access information about HIV/AIDS and other health care topics. The organisation has developed a number of programmes including: a disabled programme; a Pack 'N Go programmme to bring AIDS treatment and HIV
prevention information to people who cannot make the journey into the centre; a CD-ROM; and outreach programme.

Gary Selnow gselnow@WiredInternational.org

5. WARMTH - South Africa

A community-based nutrition project that combines providing low cost nutritious food to disadvantaged communities with communicating basic health care information through weekly workshops. These weekly workshops deal with issues such as breastfeeding, the six food groups, oral rehydration therapy, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, worms and other primary health care issues.

Contact Linda Brand linda@warmth.org.za

EVALUATIONS

6. Evaluation of the Strategies of Social Mobilization For The National Immunization Days in Niger

by Anastasia J. Gage

A social mobilisation strategy to support polio eradication campaigns was implemented by raising awareness, providing information to and communicating with the general public, as well as key target groups in Niger. The overall goal of this evaluation was to assess the effectiveness of these social mobilisation strategies.

7. Evaluation of the Satellife PDA Project, 2002: Testing the use of handheld computers for heathcare in Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya

Information and communications technology (ICT) can be used as a tool for collecting community health information to support decision-making; improving doctors' access to current medical information; linking healthcare professionals so they can share information and knowledge; and enhancing health administration, remote diagnostics, and distribution of medical
supplies. This evaluation looks at a project to test the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in healthcare environments in Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya from December 2001 to December 2002.

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Contributions Wanted

Aglob Publishing in conjunction with Healthy Africa Foundation, is in the process of publishing a book, tentatively titled "HIV/AIDS in Nigeria: What You Must Know". The book will be made up of three sections: questions and answers;
paper submissions on various topics; and a resource listing. NGOs, government, the private sector and other stakeholders are invited to submit information and papers for consideration, and to provide updated information on your various organisations.

Please contact Anthony Eniola healthafrica@aol.com

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MATERIALS

8. Tools for Life: An Integrated Set of Health Communication Materials for Community Health Workers

This health communication kit was designed for frontline community health workers in Africa. Tools for Life covers the topics of safe motherhood, nutrition and infant health, diarrhoea, prevention of common illnesses and diseases, and family planning and reproductive health. The components of this kit are activity cards, information cards, and a training guide.

9. Qualitative Target Audience Formative Research for Health and Development Communication: Soul City Fieldworker Training Manual 1 - Qualitative Interviewing

This manual was developed to support skills training in qualitative interviewing, aiming to teach individuals and organisations to conduct qualitative formative audience research in support of health and development communication. The goal is to teach fieldworkers how to obtain information from a given target audience, and to use this information to develop
messages and material that can help people make healthier choices and live healthier lives.

10. Immunization Questions & Answers: A Locally-Prepared Job Aid

The initial Q&A was developed as a local initiative by health workers in one consultation meeting. They had conducted brief interviews with parents in their communities to learn what they understood about immunisation and what
their experiences had been. Later on, in a large group discussion with the District Health Team, the consultation participants analysed the information gathered and developed the Q&A document as a job aid to help them communicate accurately about immunization in their communities. It is available in French and English.

11. Good Health Begins at Home: A Guide for Literacy Tutors

Working with the guide, tutors can show learners how to develop good health for themselves and their families and how to treat common illnesses. It is available in Zulu and English. Good Health Begins at Home is a participatory health-literacy guide with a picture kit, that teaches reading and writing skills and health management through discussions based on learners' experiences and through knowledge shared by the tutor with the learners.

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The Soul Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

Please send material for The Soul Beat to the Editor - Anja Venth aventh@comminit.com