Program Regions
Africa
Asia
Latin America
Near East
|
 Namibia
 HCP "Community Action to Fight HIV/AIDS" project in Namibia gains wide recognition (Article on Page 2)
BACKGROUND
 |
Community member speaks out in Oshikuku |
Namibia's HIV prevalence is 22.3% for the entire country, but in some areas it is much higher, varying between 9% and 43%; a prevalence rate that ranks among the top five AIDS-affected countries in the entire world. Women bear the greatest burden of the epidemic, being both infected and acting as caregivers for the affected. Their unequal social and economic status places them at risk for infection, stigmatization, and blame for the epidemic. Currently, PMTCT, VCT, and ART services are severely lacking in rural areas, however these services are being rapidly scaled up in selected Mission and government hospitals with funding from the Emergency Plan.
Based on population-level research, awareness and knowledge of HIV/AIDS is very high among audiences with nearly 98% of women having heard of HIV/AIDS. With adult literacy rates at 77% (persons aged 6 years and older able to read and write), radio access at 92%, and weekly television viewing at 39%, the Health Communication Partnership is well positioned to have a multi-level impact on increasing HIV-related behavior change around prevention strategies and HIV/AIDS services.
HCP in Namibia:
HCP is a member of Namibia's Emergency Plan Integrated Team composed of 25+ key cooperating agencies (e.g. PSI, FHI, and HCP), implementing agencies (various FBOs, NGOs), government agencies (e.g., Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Information and Broadcast, etc.), and other U.S. agencies (e.g., Peace Corps, CDC, DOD). HCP leads two main efforts for the Team. First, as the communication lead, HCP develops, tests, produces, and disseminates essential communication materials on HIV/AIDS prevention, PMTCT, VCT, ART, treatment and care to be used by the Integrated Team. Second, HCP is the research lead in charge of design, implementation, analysis/write-up, and dissemination of a comprehensive tracking and monitoring system for Emergency Plan programs and interim indicators.
HCP focuses on the USAID Mission Strategic Objective 4: Increased service utilization and improved behaviors related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS in target communities in Namibia.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE
 |
Women at community meeting in Oshikuku |
Communication Accomplishments
HCP has several on going communication activities that both complement and inform the activities of the Integrated Team: community mobilization, quality assurance/IPC Training of health care professionals, and mass media support. At the community-level, HCP has developed and implemented community mobilization activities that assist communities in increasing awareness and HIV/AIDS-related behaviors such as VCT, PMTCT, OVC, treatment, HIV/AIDS prevention, care and ART. To improve quality of health care, HCP has developed a PMTCT patient-provider interpersonal communication curriculum to be used with Mission and government hospital personnel. Using mass media, HCP has successfully broadcast and produced 26 episodes of the Suzie and Shafa Show, a youth-targeted entertainment-education radio program aimed at improving the HIV/AIDS-related behaviors of 15-25 year olds in Windhoek.
Research Accomplishments
This past year a strategic information (SI) program evaluation plan, based on HCP's "Pathways to a Health Competent Society," was developed and approved by all Integrated Team partners and USAID-Namibia. Partners can request evaluations of their programs and/or the Integrated Team as a collective can request research on issues of common concern to all. The SI program monitors and tracks program effects at the individual, community, and social/political levels. The following summarize the multiple levels of analysis achieved in the past year:
- Individual Level: Population-based surveys fielded in catchment areas around five Mission hospitals and five government hospitals
- Community Level: Network analysis
- Clinical/Service Delivery Level: Health provider surveys at selected hospitals, evaluation of health providers' quality assurance/interpersonal communication trainings, and health literacy study
- Social/Political Level: Content analysis of Namibia's daily newspapers, legislative analysis of Parliament
- Cross-Cutting Analysis: Cost-effectiveness analysis
- Targeted Evaluations: Evaluation of PSI/SMA's "Trusted Partner" mass media campaign
INNOVATIONS IN BEHAVIOR CHANGE COMMUNICATION
 |
Young men present at Oshikuku community meeting. |
HCP 's goal in Namibia is to create AIDS competent communities whereby people understand the extent of the HIV/AIDS problem in their community, identify available resources, or lack thereof, to deal with the problem and develop a plan of action to address HIV/AIDS in an effective way. In other words, the ultimate goal is to enable communities to see themselves as having the power to become an AIDS responsive community and to instill a sense of hope and power to take action themselves and make a difference.
Through this grassroots approach, HCP recognizes that behaviors and practices in relation to HIV/AIDS are not framed by individual choices alone, but are influenced strongly by access to resources and services, economic factors, gender and the prevalence of sexual violence, which require a community-driven response. Therefore, Community Mobilization will be the engine and central thrust of the program, supported by:
- Quality Assurance activities to enhance interaction between the public and those providing HIV/AIDS related services,
- Capacity Building initiatives to strengthen the capacity of leaders, networks, and community-based and national organizations to communicate effectively on HIV/AIDS related issues, and
- Strategic Information activities to monitor program progress, guide program design, and ultimately, assess program impact.
The diagram below illustrates the relationship between the four program areas and the intended program outcomes. IEC/ BCC activities and training activities are found in all four program areas rather than being split into separate programs. An essential ingredient for the success of this strategic approach is the continued close partnership and collaboration with other USG cooperating agencies and local NGOs and FBOs.
TEAM LEADER
Ian Tweedie
IN-COUNTRY TEAM LEADER
Nahum Gorelick
PUBLICATIONS
Network Fact Sheets
Household Fact Sheets
Report: In-Depth Interviews: The Effect of Culture and Environment on the Behaviour of Namibian Youth (May 2003) 
PRESS RELEASES
Namibia Research Shows Most Youth Don't Understand the Terms "Abstinence" or "Faithfulness" for HIV Prevention
SUCCESS STORIES
Contact: Jane Brown, jbrown@jhuccp.org |
