Millennium Development Goal (MDG) #6 seeks to halt and begin to reverse the spread or incidence of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other major diseases such as TB, worldwide, by 2015.
Indicators for reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS include reducing the HIV prevalence among pregnant women aged 15 to 24 and improving the ratio of school attendance of AIDS orphans to non-orphans aged 10 to 14 years. Indicator for the successful reversal of incidences of malaria include the proportion of the population in malaria-risk areas using effective prevention and treatment measures. Tuberculosis (TB) is another key emphasis, with a success indicator that focuses on the proportion of TB cases detected and cured under the directly observed treatment short-course or DOTS. This issue of The Soul Beat highlights just a few communication initiatives, studies and materials from Africa that are supporting the achievement of this millennium development goal.
===
HIV/AIDS
1. The Children They Are Left With - Zimbabwe
This is a documentary film about a child-headed family and the effects of HIV/AIDS produced by Zimbabwean orphans in Zvishavane. The film was initiated by the STRIVE Project that aims to improve care and support for vulnerable children in Zimbabwe through a variety of different activities such as education assistance, food security, psychosocial support and child protection. The STRIVE Project teaches children to express themselves through documentary photography and video with the assistance of founder and director of Localfilms, Peter Jordan. Contact: Hilary Roxe hroxe@crs.org
2. An Advocacy Resource Book for HIV and AIDS in Zambia
This 51- page Zambian advocacy resource book is aimed at individuals, community groups, People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), youth and school pupils, district level organisations, teachers associations, church groups, local government leaders and others concerned and wanting to make a positive contribution to the response to HIV and AIDS in Zambia. The book looks at what influences the national response to HIV and AIDS and how advocacy can bring about an improved response by reducing infection, provide access to treatment, care and support, reduce stigma and discrimination that surrounds HIV and AIDS and help people whose lives and families are threatened by the impact of the epidemic.
3. Perceived Sufficiency and Usefulness of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Materials and Methods Related to HIV/AIDS Among High School Youth in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Amsale Cherie, Getenet Mitkie, Shabbir Ismail and Yemane Berhane Medical Faculty, Department of Community Health, Addis Ababa University 2005 This study was conducted to assess the perceived sufficiency and usefulness of HIV/AIDS information, education and communication (IEC) messages and materials as well as to identify preferences for IEC sources and methods. A total of 901 students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, participated in the study and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and focus group discussions. Even though no single information source was highly preferred, radio and television ranked high and life skills training was the most desired intervention by the students. IEC on HIV/AIDS was found to acquaint students with the disease rather than equipping them with knowledge and skills needed in their daily life. Therefore, appropriate and mutually reinforcing IEC messages with emphasis on life skills training were recommended.
4. Understanding and Challenging HIV/AIDS Stigma
A HIVAN Booklet By Catherine Campbell, Yugi Nair, Sibongile Maimane and Zweni Sibiya This booklet is a tool for discussing stigma associated with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Examples and text are appropriate for youth and offer ideas for community involvement. Topics covered include a discussion of the meaning of stigma, causes of stigma, how stigma impacts HIV/AIDS work, and how to address stigma. The book outlines reasons for negative attitudes towards those who have HIV/AIDS and their families. It also details how stigma attitudes undermine HIV/AIDS care and prevention and as a result cause great personal suffering and tragedy. The book puts emphasis on the relationship between the fight against HIV/AIDS and the fight against stigma and explores how one can deal with this.
5. A Comparative Analysis of Communication About Sex, Health and Sexual Health in India and South Africa - Implications for HIV Prevention
By Helen Lambert and Kate Wood Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol and Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London This paper provides a comparative analysis of modes of dialogue, non-verbal communication and embodied action relating to sex and health in two contrasting countries - India and South Africa - which have the world's two most heavily HIV affected populations (in terms of numbers of people living with HIV). The paper considers: first, how and by whom sex is and is not talked about, in public discourse and private conversation; second, how sexual intention and desire are communicated through indirect, non-verbal means in everyday life; and third, how references to sexuality and the sexual body re-enter within a more explicit set of indigenous discourses about health (rather than 'sexual health' per se), such as semen loss in India and womb 'dirtiness' in South Africa.
6. Civil Society Involvement in Rapid Assessment, Analysis and Action Planning (RAAAP) for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
An Independent Review by Louisa Gosling The Rapid Assessment, Analysis, and Action Planning (RAAAP) Initiative for orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) was launched by UNICEF, USAID, UNAIDS, and WFP in November 2003. The first round of RAAAPs was carried out in 16 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa1 in 2004. The purpose of the RAAAP was to undertake an analysis of the situation of OVC and the responses in each country. Based on that analysis the aim was to produce a national plan of action to scale up and improve the quality of the response to OVC. This plan is ratified by the government and provides a unifying framework that brings together the activities of all the different stakeholders under a set of common objectives and strategies. This includes all interventions for OVC, including activities of national and local government, donors and civil society organisations (CSOs). The involvement of the different stakeholders in the analysis and planning process is considered critical for ensuring their ownership of the resulting action plan.
7. Mo Kamba (My Mate) - Angola
This project consists of radio spots in six different languages along with two weekly discussion programmes in Portuguese, each of which is recorded live and is approximately one hour in length. The shows address sexually active Angolan youth and aims to change their behaviour in order to reduce the prevalence of HIV and AIDS. Research and Learning is a key component of the Ko Kamba programme. During each Mo Kamba radio call-in programme, the production team collects the telephone numbers of people who phone in for the Research and Learning team to call back to conduct interviews about what listeners think of the show. The Research and Learning team in Angola also regularly visits youth in different areas of Luanda to hold discussion groups about the content of the radio programmes.
Contact: ws.trust@bbc.co.uk OR George Lessard media@web.net
8. Programming for HIV Prevention in South African Schools: A Report on Program Implementation
by Priscilla Reddy, Ann McCauley and Shegs James As national education programmes incorporate HIV prevention into school curricula, policymakers and educators need to know what they can expect from these initiatives. An evaluation study conducted in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, provides important insights into whether learners that participated in a fact-based, interactive course had more knowledge about HIV risks, prevention, and care practices; had more positive attitudes toward prevention practices and people living with HIV and AIDS; and had a higher prevalence of reported safe behaviours than comparable learners who did not participate in the course. Results showed that approval of teenage abstinence increased within the intervention group, particularly among males and that young men reduced their number of sex partners slightly.
MALARIA
9. Deadline for Health: The Media's Response to Covering HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria in Africa
By Lisa Woll The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) in Washington, DC initiated this research project, which was carried out with the African Women's Media Center (AWMC) in Dakar, Senegal. According to the report, this represents the first time that media coverage of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria has been systematically evaluated across five countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the media coverage of these diseases and to identify problems in addressing public health issues in the media. The content analysis of the print media shows that while articles about HIV/AIDS overwhelmingly dominate health coverage in all five countries, the frequency of public health coverage in general was alarmingly inadequate. Most health coverage is spot news or events (worldwide TB Day), with a focus on personalities, especially government officials rather than issues, analysis and educative (service) information.
10. Malaria Red Reference - Southern Africa
A major problem faced by health workers trying to combat malaria is the lack of up-to-date, reliable information on malaria. The Malaria Red Reference is a World Health Organization (WHO) project that aims to improve health workers' access to malaria information in the Southern Africa region. This programme provides information through a resource centre, the distribution of printed publications and the use of information and communication technology (ICT).
Contact: Hammer Bamhare OR Helga Patrikios patrikios@healthnet.zw OR rootg@who.co.zw OR uzmedlib.hre@healthnet.zw
11. Malaria Knowledge Programme: Gender Perspectives - Ghana
The Malaria Knowledge Programme (MKP) at the Liverpool School of Tropical Hygiene used interpersonal communication in an effort to transform people's vulnerability to malaria into resilience. In the Volta Region of Ghana, the MKP team used training as a tool to control malaria by building the capacity of local health workers to carry out gender-focused participatory communication and research with community members. District-level workers and community members addressed women's decision making roles through meetings with opinion leaders and involvement of community members in role-plays and drama. These strategies focus on stimulating thinking among community members about gender issues related to access to health care for children with malaria.
Contact: Rachel Tolhurst r.j.tolhurst@liv.ac.uk
12. Introducing Insecticide-Treated Nets in The Kilombero Valley, Tanzania
The Relevance of Local Knowledge and Practice for an Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign By Happiness Minja, Joanna A. Schellenberg, Oscar Mukasa, Rose Nathan, Salim Abdulla, Hadji Mponda, Marcel Tanner, Christian Lengeler and Brigit Obrist August 2001 Published in the Tropical Medicine and International Health journal, this article reviews a malaria prevention campaign in Tanzania promoting insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) from 1996-1999. The principal goal of the project was to formulate a tailored Information Education and Communication (IEC) strategy that would address biomedical knowledge of malaria and malaria prevention within the context of local knowledge and practice. Although the study did not evaluate the specific impacts of social marketing activities, the authors argue that the sharp rise in ownership of ITNs in the period following the project can be attributed to the effectiveness of social marketing.
13. Malaria Communication Materials
Selected Examples from Africa [CD-ROM] This CD-ROM features a collection of better practice communication materials for malaria prevention and treatment. It is a compilation of quality communication materials and tools considered suitable to adapt for malaria communication programmes in the field. The Health Communication Partnership (HCP), the Malaria Consortium East and Southern Africa, and HCP's Media/Materials Clearinghouse shared existing collections of tools in order to make this CD-ROM as comprehensive and useful as possible to the communication practitioner or programme manager.
TUBERCULOSIS
14. The Global Plan to Stop Tuberculosis (2006-2015)
Published by the Stop TB Partnership, the 167-page Global Plan to Stop TB 2006 - 2015 is a comprehensive assessment of the action and resources needed to implement the Stop TB strategy and make an impact on fighting tuberculosis (TB). The document highlights ten actions that are key to the success of the Global Plan. The document is made up of three parts. Part I sets out the Partnership's strategic directions for 2006 - 2015, based on recent achievements and the current situation. Part II summarises planned regional activities, costs and impact for all regions with a high burden of TB, based on an ambitious but realistic scenario. It also considers what would be needed to accelerate progress towards halving prevalence and death rates in Africa and Eastern Europe. Part III summarises the strategic plans for the Partnership's working groups and Secretariat.
15. Target Tuberculosis - Malawi
Target Tuberculosis (TB) has funded a three year TB programme with the Sue Ryder Foundation in Malawi (SRFIM). The project aims to provide information and education about TB to people in remote rural areas. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Officers are trained and then employed to spread TB and HIV/AIDS health information messages in clinics and in the community. The project also trains community health volunteers to identify people with TB symptoms and refer them to government health services for diagnosis and treatment.
Contact: info@targettuberculosis.org.uk
16. Write Your Rights - Africa
This is a community empowerment campaign that invites the public to participate in the 'open-source' drafting of an international public health document, the Patients Charter of the Tuberculosis (TB) Community. The charter contains a blend of values, principles and aspirations that are widely shared by people infected or affected by TB and TB-HIV worldwide.
Contact: Erika Blair blair@tbtv.org OR voices@tbtv.org
EVENTS/TRAINING
17. Management of Integrated Community-Based Health Programmes
(Jun 26-14 Jul 2006) Nairobi, Kenya
18. Behaviour & Social Change in HIV/AIDS
(Jul 10-21 2006) Nairobi, Kenya
19. Politics of HIV/AIDS Healthcare
(Aug 14-25 2006) Swaziland
20. Malaria Prevention Control and Management Course
(Sept 18-29 2006) Nairobi, Kenya
21. Forum 10: Combating disease and promoting health
(Oct 29- 2 Nov 2006) Cairo, Egypt
===
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
