World Malaria Day, Part II

Coming back from Kojina, we realized we had done it. Three nights and three World Malaria Day events: on Wednesday in Humjibre, on Thursday in Soroano, and Friday, in Kojina. Back in Humjibre, setting up a whiteboard for the projector and watching the children dutifully put out plastic chairs for the audience; I had no idea how big these were going to be.

Each night, the program started with a DJ playing some music. After an opening prayer, the health team began with a presentation to educate the community on malaria symptoms, treatment and prevention. They used different speakers and a mix of videos; some starring the Humjibre community health workers (CHWs) and some funny animated ones (thanks to  Scientific Animations Without Borders!). Local CHWs and nurses were then introduced and the team opened the floor for a community discussion and Q&A.








The program was designed to reach participants of all ages. Sections like the bednet cost analysis were aimed for adults, while toffee for correct answers enticed children. Community members were engaged and excited to be there. As a newcomer to G.H.E.I., it was very cool to see the events organized and taken in with such energy by these rural communities.

Each night, there were more youths that attended the event than adults. One of the Soroano CHWs, Yaw Ntori (Original) said that he particularly enjoyed when young children correctly answered questions to showcase what they learned. His comment touched on one of the vital roles of the youth in communities here. When G.H.E.I. teaches children, they bring that information home and teach families.

Audience participation during the cost analysis, discussion and Q&A sections was striking. Starting with the cost analysis, the health team presented two scenarios: either pay to buy a subsidized bednet now, or pay for malaria later. Our very own Clement Donkor and Mensah Gyapong became celebrity emcees and asked for the audience’s help to estimate the price of costs like travel to the clinic, medications and missed work. People shouted hoping to see their own guesses come up on the projection. After all the costs had been tallied; it was significantly less expensive to buy a bednet now than risk malaria later.

For the discussion and Q&A sections, the emcees roamed through the crowd choosing contestants for a chance with the microphone. Once each speaker was chosen, everyone else listened attentively then cheered and clapped for them after they finished. While many people made jokes, others demonstrated what they learned.

The health team worked hard to prepare for World Malaria Day and they thought that by Friday running the event would be easy. But the afternoon brought a rainstorm, so the evening was cold and after a busy week; many people wanted to stay home and rest. However when the DJ turned his speakers on, the community came out. It was late, and it was cold in Kojina- but we finished strong with a large and engaged crowd throughout the whole event.

Be sure to check our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GHEI.Ghana for more photos from the event!
Share |

World Malaria Day, Part I

Living in Humjibre, pesky mosquitoes and the diseases that they carry- namely malaria- are a daily concern. It is estimated that around 3,000 children die of malaria every day worldwide. However for some people, the problems posed by malaria will rarely cross their minds. What is most surprising about this contradiction is that malaria is a completely preventable and treatable disease. To help raise global awareness and mobilize communities worldwide; April 25th, 2013 has been set aside as World Malaria Day.

Malaria is hyper-endemic in Ghana, with the entire population of 24.2 million at risk. While there have been many initiatives in Ghana to increase public understanding and access to effective methods in combating the disease, it continues to be a large issue. According to the Bibiani-Anwhiaso-Bekwai District Health Information Unit, malaria accounted for almost half of all outpatient cases and more than a third of admissions in the district where GHEI operates in 2011.

Here at GHEI, our Malaria Prevention Program focuses on increasing the use of insecticide treated bednets (ITNs) in Humjibre and its surrounding communities. This method is considered to be relatively very effective in decreasing the prevalence of malaria. Our program uses trained community health workers to assist families in hanging bednets, and then offer in-home education and monthly follow-up visits to ensure continued proper use.

This year for World Malaria Day, GHEI is presenting a series of outreach programs in Humjibre and the neighboring communities of Soroano and Kojina to support public education of malaria symptoms, treatment and prevention- with a focus on bednets.

Be sure to check back soon for Part II of this blog to see this year’s GHEI World Malaria Day outreach programs!

Share |
 

Sources:

President’s Malaria Initiative. 2012. Malaria Operational Plan–FY 2012 (Year 5). Ghana.

Shiner, Cindy. "Malaria - Keeping a Crafty Killer On the Run." allAfrica.com. http://allafrica.com/stories/201304250108.html?aa_source=slideout (accessed April 25, 2013).

Akwaaba! (some things never get old to hear)

I have been in Ghana for just a few days and nothing is more striking here than the friendliness of the people. Arriving in Humjibre, I was immediately made to feel at home. Between the staff at GHEI and the organization’s countless friends in the community, I have already met so many people who I feel comfortable talking with and am happy to consider my friends.

My first impressions of GHEI showed that it is a well- valued organization that is deeply integrated into the Humjibre community. To me, something that stands out about GHEI is that its core is comprised of local staff who are truly invested in the village. On a tour, I was able to see many of the staff members’ family homes and realize their lifelong relationships to Humjibre. As a Westerner joining the organization, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from the people here.

Cheif Nana Twum II, Adrian, Myself and some of the Village Elders

 Joining the local community, one of my first activities was to go and meet the chief. Walking into the palace, many of the elders were already seated. I followed the delegation that joined me from GHEI in shaking each of their hands several times before we were then seated to begin. The mission of our visit was to allow the chief to say thank you and goodbye to Adrian and then welcome me to the village as his replacement as GHEI’s Communications Officer.

When a Ghanaian says “you are welcome” they mean it. The chief assured me that my work would be valued in my new position at GHEI and offered my protection in the village. I was even promised that if I ever had any difficulties I could go to their council for help. While we were in a formal setting, I could tell that everybody there was extremely hospitable and this would be an approachable group of people.

These kids would have posed for photos all day given the chance

Feeling so welcomed has had a powerful meaning for me. With the chief’s assurance and faith that has been put in me by everybody that I have met here, I am sure that I will be able to fulfill my role and positively impact GHEI’s program. I have heard before that the people of Ghana are the friendliest in the world, but the people of Humjibre may be the friendliest in Ghana.

Happy and I ran into some of our other staff Saga and Shantie during my village tour

Share |

The Need For Community Health Workers

Why are community health workers needed? Because there simply aren't enough highly trained medical personnel, like doctors and nurses, to meet the health needs of everyone living in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana. Several factors are at work to create this deficiency. Medical training is long and expensive and medical training centers can't keep up with the demand, especially as populations grow. Many trained medical professionals prefer to work in the cities or to seek work in other countries where the pay is better. Furthermore, AIDS and other diseases have stripped the medical community of valuable workers.

Many of the previous blogs make mention of the Millennium Development Goals, which address the most pressing human development needs around the globe. Of the eight goals, three aim to improve human health by reducing child mortality (MDG 4) and maternal mortality (MDG 5), and by combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases (MDG 6).

Ghana has serious needs in all of these areas, but never more so than for people living in rural areas, who may have quite a distance to go to receive any kind of professional medical attention and may be impossibly far from the nearest hospital. In many cases they are also too poor to pay for expensive medical services and medicines. On top of this, they may be fearful or mistrustful of leaving their homes and being attended by clinic workers they don't know.

One way to improve their access to basic health care is to provide the services of community health workers (CHW). A CHW is an individual from the community who is rudimentarily trained to provide basic health services, mainly to those who are under-served. Their services may include prenatal visits, post-natal mother and infant care, vaccinations, counselling on sexually transmitted diseases, and specialized programs like malaria and tuberculosis prevention.

The person may be a volunteer or may be paid a salary for their work. The advantage in having a local person fill this role is that they know the local customs and language, and are more likely to be accepted by the community than an outsider of the same standing. CHWs usually maintain their ties within their community and, with proper support, tend to stay with the job.  The people they serve typically trust them, and the CHWs have a respected standing in the community.

Through their provision of primary health care, CHWs contribute valuably to the whole community, but they are particularly important in improving the health of children. In the case of Humjibre and the surrounding communities, CHWs have been involved in every step of our malaria prevention programs, and their dedication has led to a marked rise in the ownership and use of insecticide-treated bednets.

Share |

Sources

Global Health Workforce Alliance. 2010. Community Health Workers - Key Messages. http://www.who.int/workforcealliance/knowledge/resources/chwkeymessages/en/index.html

Lehmann, Uta and David Sanders. 2007. Community health workers: What do we know about them? The state of the evidence on programmes, activities, costs and impact on health outcomes of using community health workers. School of Public Health

University of the Western Cape. Report for the World Health Organization, Geneva.

Morrow, R.H. 1983. A primary health care strategy for Ghana. pp. 272-299 in Morley, D., J.E. Rohde, and G. Williams (eds.) Practising Health for All. Oxford University Press: Oxford. 272–299.

International Children's Book Day

Today is International Children’s Book Day and the GHEI Community Library is a hive of activity. It seemed fitting to have a quick chat with Library Administrator Lawrence Donkor on this special day:

How many children come to the library each day? 
Around 35 children come to the library on an average day, though some days it's more. It depends on their school schedule and any events that are taking place in the community.

What kind of books do you think the children enjoy the most?
They like to read picture books, especially by African authors. They like seeing pictures of the story, and it helps them understand. These books are relevant to the children – they’re culturally relatable. Some books from the West don’t make sense to the kids, but there are also lots of great books from around the world that the children love.

What children’s book would you recommend to teachers and parents?
Hmm (long pause). Caps for Sale! It’s about a peddler selling caps, roaming up and down the street, getting tired since no one will buy a cap. He falls asleep and wakes up and sees his caps are all gone.

It turns out monkeys from the tree he was sleeping under took them. It’s an interesting book, and when you read it to the kids they’ll all start laughing.

Thanks Lawrence!

Building literacy skills is a key element of our education programs here at GHEI. Reading skills will serve as the foundation for a student's entire academic career. GHEI is launching an internship program this summer that will pilot the expansion of GHEI’s Community Library programming to the rural community of Soroano. This new literacy campaign aims to increase primary and junior high school students’ ability to develop and employ literacy strategies through a school-based outreach.

Read more about this internship program here. Please help us spread the word about this exciting opportunity! 

Share |