Transcript InvolvingCommunities in LLIN campaigns

Cletus Asare (Nets for Life), Anna McCartneyMelstad (JHUCCP), Elena Olivi (PSI)
The Alliance for Malaria Prevention
Behavior Change Communication Workshop
for Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Net (LLIN) Scale-Up to Universal Coverage and Use
Bamako, Mali 21 – 24 September, 2010
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Top-down LLIN distributions are unlikely to
◦ Effectively increase net ownership via campaign
◦ Increase behavior change around net use over sustained period
Working with community leaders to make sure
that they understand and are committed to
campaign interventions and the resulting health
impacts will help the wider community learn
about, and engage in, the activities. Community
leaders will be your best champions!
Communities can be involved in many different
ways.
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As many social circles within the
community as possible
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Religious leaders
Traditional leaders (elders)
Political leaders (elected or appointed)
Unions (women, youth)
Teachers
Health care workers
Opinion leaders
Influential individuals
CBOs, local NGOs
Volunteers (Motivation)
Durbar of chiefs to
testify the importance
of using LLINs and
encourage their
subjects to use them
every night
Assemblyman of
Sandema, Ghana, in a
demonstration at a
sensitization program on
malaria prevention
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Bring the community to own the project right from
the beginning
Initial strategies include:
◦ Community Entry
◦ Orientation of community leaders
◦ Holding advocacy sessions with community
leaders
◦ Other? Discuss
Effective because community members see
themselves as part of the project
*American-speak for “them”
Stage of
Campaign
Pre-campaign
During campaign registration
During campaign distribution
Post-campaign
Increase LLIN Ownership
(Social Mobilization)
Information on dates and venues and target
population for the campaign (mass media,
community and religious leaders, community
volunteers, health workers), which
interventions are included, and goals of the
campaign
Specific information on dates and venues for
the particular household; which interventions
are included; what they need to bring with
them to the distribution site;
Reminders (mass media, community leaders,
community volunteers, health workers);
Motivation to participate.
Increase LLIN Use
(BCC)
Net use and care and repair
messages; general malaria and/or
other child health messages
Net hanging demonstrations and IPC
at site; net care and repair messages
Mass media and IPC on net use and
hanging; door-to-door Hang Up
visits; net care and repair messages.
Motivation to hang nets and use
nets. Respond to general malaria
questions. Refer fever cases.
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An Anglican Bishop in
Namibia himself
involved in a net
distributing to church
members to add
importance
Primary school children in
Ghana acting a play in malaria
prevention
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Organization of training
◦ BCC sub-committees are often not responsible for
budget/planning training but must at least provide
quality materials/manuals to be incorporated
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Flow of information from central to
community level
◦ Good training, and training materials. Make sure all
volunteers have the correct information and can
disseminate it by the time they finish the training.
◦ To cascade or not to cascade?
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Volunteer job aids or checklists will help to
ensure that clear and consistent messages
are passed to community members.
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◦ Develop and understanding of campaign
interventions and their importance for child survival
◦ Key messages on importance of owning and using
LLINs
◦ Knowledge and directions to the closest campaign
site and what is available at that site and when
◦ Identification of community level barriers to LLIN
access and how to discuss them with the population
◦ Understanding the importance of BCC
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Not cheap (both human and financial
resources)
Include
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Transport
Per diems
Communication (phone credit, etc)
Trainings (Lunch/coffee breaks/room/projection)
Duplication of materials and job aids
More innovative ways to motivate volunteers (in
kind)
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Mr. McCauley, Commissioner,
Harmonville Township, Grand
Bassa, Liberia (2nd left) with a
monitoring team during H2H
hang-up campaign in Liberia
A pastor in Yelwoko, Upper
East Region of Ghana,
expressing a point to create
awareness about malaria
Commissioner of Harmonville
Township in Liberia telling
school children that they HAVE
to see a net hanging on the bed
today. During the first hang-up
campaign in Liberia
A chief in the Neekreen district
of Liberia serving as a PPS
Volunteer during one of the
hang-up campaigns
What other examples
can you share?
Cletus Asare, NetsforLife
Cletus Asare, NetsforLife
Cletus Asare, NetsforLife
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Distribution strategy
◦ Who is receiving LLINs? How many? How?
◦ Manage expectations
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Political
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Toxicity/Danger of LLINs
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Cultural/Religious misconceptions about
LLINs
◦ Who is responsible?
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Engage malaria network of journalists
Crisis group (NMCP, WHO, pharmaceutical division)
to vet messaging and create dissemination strategy
to squash rumor
Toll free hotline with standard response
Brief village leaders and other authority figures
before rumors begin and again if rumors develop –
create special team
TV/Radio messages
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