FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2005

New HCP Case Study Describes Bangladesh Center for
Communication Programs' Path to Success, Independence

Latest Partners in Action Series Focuses on BCCP

BALTIMORE — Now a well-established health communication organization that has operated independently for the last eight years, the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) clearly illustrates what successful capacity building can do for sustainability. BCCP is the focus of the latest case study in the Partners in Action series, which is produced by the Health Communication Partnership (HCP) to highlight the work of HCP's Southern-based partners.

Co-written by BCCP Director and CEO Mohammad Shahjahan, this case study describes how BCCP flourished because of good leadership, strategic partnerships, and a clearly defined mission. BCCP also was able to establish a market niche in a country where few organizations offered evidence-based health communication programs.

BCCP began as a field office of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Communication Programs (CCP), but struck out on its own in 1997. Its programs use community mobilization, mass media, and local advocacy to address issues related to reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, adolescent health, and other health areas.

For example, BCCP's Know Yourself project is an innovative multimedia effort designed with adolescent input to help adolescents face various health issues. BCCP is also now collaborating with CCP and UNICEF on a participatory research and strategic communication program for HIV/AIDS/STI prevention, care, and support. BCCP has also worked closely with the Government of Bangladesh on national health strategies for tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and family planning. BCCP is also the only nongovernmental entity to become a permanent member of the Government's Information, Education, and Communication Technical Committee.

BCCP was also behind the successful Green Umbrella campaign that promoted integrated family planning and child health services. Two key elements of the campaign were popular entertainment-education dramas — Shabuj Shathi and Shabuj Chhaya — with public health messages woven into the storyline about everything from Vitamin A to HIV/AIDS to diarrhea prevention and treatment.

HCP is a global communication initiative based at CCP in partnership with the Academy for Educational Development, Save the Children, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, and Tulane University 's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. In addition to the five core partners, HCP works with leading Southern-based health communication organizations as well as global programming partners from the corporate sector, international media, academic institutions, and faith-based organizations. For more information about HCP, visit www.hcpartnership.org .