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| The Health Team and MVP staff in Manso-Nkwanta |
The Health
Team recently visited the Millenium Village Project, specifically the
communities of Groso, and Manukrom in the Bonsasso Millennium village
cluster. Click here to read about UN Millennium Village project there and here for their blog.
Since 2007, GHEI and MVP have been sharing ideas. This makes sense since GHEI and MVP share a similar philosophical ground, that is, a direct investment in empowering community members will bring communities out of poverty. In 2007, GHEI staff visited the millennium village, and in 2009, more formal sharing took place, specifically about health programs. Then in 2010, MVP staff visited GHEI in Humjibre. MVP staff visited to learn more about GHEI’s malaria program, particularly how GHEI encourages bednet usage. Thanks to this meeting, MVP implemented bednet distributions based on some of GHEI’s methods in three pilot villages.
The team met at their office at Manso Nkwanta, where the MVP office is located. From there they set off on their trek to some villages that were more remote than anticipated. The trip to one of the villages was a trip of two hours on a 4wd vehicle on some very bumpy roads. That they managed to coordinate action over such a wide area impressed the Health Team.
The work of the Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW, the MVP version of GHEI’s own CHW) highly impressed the Health team. In terms of Maternal Health, CHEWs would regularly visit pregnant mothers and act as a liason between the clinic and then mother to be, often assuaging fears and offering accurate advice. The CHEWs are well trained but they also offer a relationship built on support and care. CHEWs also work with Traditional Birth Attendants, an area that GHEI is beginning to build relationships in Humjibre. The strong links between MVP the TBA’s and the clinics, means complicated pregnancies can be swiftly referred onward to medical centres if need be.
In terms of Malaria Prevention, the MVP program and the GHEI program have some similarities, with GHEI focusing more on regular follow up and education after distribution to sleeping areas. The GHEI Health Team shared with MVP staff how they have included bednet mending and maintenance into the CHW role. There have been frequent complaints from community members in the millennium villages about Mosquitos making it into small rips in their nets.
Speaking to Mensah and Aggie about the trip, their esteem for the work of the CHEWs in the Millenium Villages was obvious. To Mensah, he was impressed by their extensive training they receive and the way that the CHEWs attend to many aspects of a person’s health, sometimes performing first aid in emergencies. Aggie respected the way that CHEW linked with the clinics so thoroughly to support children under five. Right now they are just ideas, but they have clearly inspired the Health Team.
Hopefully, the sharing will continue, as both of GHEI and MVP continue to support their communities into the millennium’s second decade.
Since 2007, GHEI and MVP have been sharing ideas. This makes sense since GHEI and MVP share a similar philosophical ground, that is, a direct investment in empowering community members will bring communities out of poverty. In 2007, GHEI staff visited the millennium village, and in 2009, more formal sharing took place, specifically about health programs. Then in 2010, MVP staff visited GHEI in Humjibre. MVP staff visited to learn more about GHEI’s malaria program, particularly how GHEI encourages bednet usage. Thanks to this meeting, MVP implemented bednet distributions based on some of GHEI’s methods in three pilot villages.
The team met at their office at Manso Nkwanta, where the MVP office is located. From there they set off on their trek to some villages that were more remote than anticipated. The trip to one of the villages was a trip of two hours on a 4wd vehicle on some very bumpy roads. That they managed to coordinate action over such a wide area impressed the Health Team.
The work of the Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW, the MVP version of GHEI’s own CHW) highly impressed the Health team. In terms of Maternal Health, CHEWs would regularly visit pregnant mothers and act as a liason between the clinic and then mother to be, often assuaging fears and offering accurate advice. The CHEWs are well trained but they also offer a relationship built on support and care. CHEWs also work with Traditional Birth Attendants, an area that GHEI is beginning to build relationships in Humjibre. The strong links between MVP the TBA’s and the clinics, means complicated pregnancies can be swiftly referred onward to medical centres if need be.
In terms of Malaria Prevention, the MVP program and the GHEI program have some similarities, with GHEI focusing more on regular follow up and education after distribution to sleeping areas. The GHEI Health Team shared with MVP staff how they have included bednet mending and maintenance into the CHW role. There have been frequent complaints from community members in the millennium villages about Mosquitos making it into small rips in their nets.
Speaking to Mensah and Aggie about the trip, their esteem for the work of the CHEWs in the Millenium Villages was obvious. To Mensah, he was impressed by their extensive training they receive and the way that the CHEWs attend to many aspects of a person’s health, sometimes performing first aid in emergencies. Aggie respected the way that CHEW linked with the clinics so thoroughly to support children under five. Right now they are just ideas, but they have clearly inspired the Health Team.
Hopefully, the sharing will continue, as both of GHEI and MVP continue to support their communities into the millennium’s second decade.
