PATHS2 in Motion a Photostory of PATHS2 Activities National /October 2010
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PATHS2 In Motion A photostory of PATHS2 activities National /October 2010 Ask Nigeria ...Naija health talk Rolls out in four states “The voice of the people is louder than the boom of a canon” African proverb Ask Nigeria is a community-based public health Focus of Ask Nigeria Pilot dialogue process Primary Focus: A campaign to ‘Ask Nigeria’ what it that offers an knows, thinks and feels about issues opportunity for to do with malaria and pregnancy Secondary Focus: community To learn about the barriers and motivations to change, the role that the health services should play and members, service to apply these knowledge to motivate behavior change among providers and the target groups media to be part of lively and engaging Contents discussions about Introduction- Ask Nigeria 3 health. Background 6 Process 11 Partnerships 14 The voices 18 Special thanks 21 About PATHS2 22 4 Paths2 In Motion INTERLUDE “Please let’s call a spade a spade! Let us be fair to ourselves…we need to change our attitude. Tell us more about family planning. How do we access the services?" Abubakar, A community Leader Group Discussant, Dutse Local Government, Jigawa state Paths2 In Motion 5 A isha and Abubukar are just two out of the over 2,000 community persons who were opportuned to ask important questions about their health and get life-saving answers at the PATHS2 supported Ask Nigeria public health dialogues. “I am 24 years old; this baby you are seeing is the eighth. Whenever I am pregnant, I always suffer especially during delivery…I need advice on how to take care of myself.” Aisha Duru, Duru Community Discussant, Dutse Local Government, Jigawa state 6 Paths2 In Motion Background I n eight urban and rural communities in Nigeria, a community-based health opinion poll was conducted. The findings from the opinion poll were used as background for engaging community members in discussions about the prevention, treatment and care of malaria, pregnancy and other health issues. Community women at Ndeaboh, Enugu state singing and dancing to a malaria song during the sensitization meeting Cross section of young boys, some of who are already married, participate actively in the Community dialogue Paths2 In Motion 7 Ask Jigawa team member conducting the opinion poll on a woman during the Barriers to health were house-to-house polling process in Jigawa. discussed, knowledge about what is needed to change attitude and develop good practices were impacted and together over 2,000 people attempted to find common solutions to public health issues raised as it affects them either as individuals or as a group. They went back home ‘informed’ and with a sense of personal responsibility and accountability towards their health. Children engaged in a question and answer session on basic hygiene with the Ask Jigawa Media Team during the Community Dialogue Even in the farms, their opinion counts. A male respondent being polled on Ask Jigawa Team conducting polling key health issues in front of his farm to people right in the farm in Jigawa in Jigawa state 8 Paths2 In Motion W ith active support from the state different groups of participants health ministries, media and non- which include women of governmental organizations, over 28 reproductive age, men, adolescents public health dialogues a.k.a (male and female), health workers, Thematic Community Participatory mothers-in-law and gatekeepers like Group (TCPGs) were held with traditional and religious leaders. Ask Nigeria team holds intensive discussion on interviewing techniques during Training of Trainees A planning meeting for A Planning meeting for Ask Nigeria Ask Nigeria roll out, roll out, Abuja Abuja Paths2 In Motion 9 The array of participants demonstrates the Ask Nigeria populist approach whereby people are expected to have a say in issues that affects their health. Participation of the socially excluded like the physically challenged in the group discussions was a mandate and the A cross section of participants including women were actively the physically challenged at the mobilized for the community dialogue in Ndeabor during dialogues. the Ask Enugu process A community woman, with the help of her family, shares her experience....with the Ask Jigawa team Ask Nigeria initiative was informed by the critical need to reach and actively engage Mothers-in-law during the community dialogue in Ndeaboh. “Our mothers- in-law” was the chorus answer given by the women of child bearing age the socially excluded in public when asked what to mention one major factor that prevents them from health discussions. going to the health facilities during pregnancy They are often the most affected because they are poor, marginalized and majority of them live in distant hard to reach areas. Millions of our targets do not have access to the media and when they do, they do not have the opportunity to contribute to or Ask Kaduna Intern, Ahmed Sani, Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, facilitates the Community Dialogue have a say in health session with a group of fathers in Wuciciri community discussions. 10 Paths2 In Motion I nterestingly, the community engagement level was not the end of it all! The public health dialogue activities were recorded for broadcast. The purpose was to publicize the community-level discussions in other to deepen the impact through wider participation. Ask Jigawa Media Team ready to take off for the polling in Jigawa The broadcast will also contribute to the dissemination of knowledge about health to a large heterogeneous group of people and will parade a bottom-up approach for health promotion whereby the people themselves become the source of information. The media is also expected to bring the public Ask Nigeria Media Team testing their health issues to the attention equipments and machines before going of policy makers and thereby out to the field for the media capture of Ask Nigeria make them to be more responsive. Akim Mogaji, Ask Nigeria Media Adviser explaining the concept of capturing the Ask Nigeria process to other members of the Media Team Farad Painchun, an International Media Production Specialist, conducts hands –on training for the Ask Nigeria media team on how to capture relevant and compelling footage from the pilot process Paths2 In Motion 11 The Process T he Ask Nigeria pilot process commenced with opinion polling in the communities. Four hundred people were polled for basic Mother-in-laws during the community dialogue in Ndeaboh. “Our mothers- knowledge and practice in-law” was the chorus answer given by the women of child bearing age towards malaria and when asked what to mention one major factor that prevents them from pregnancy. going to the health facilities during pregnancy The polling provided sound community-level quantitative data about the themes. Moreover, community members with peculiar health service delivery issues were engaged through a content research process to learn from their stories and to link Group of young girls in Kaduna state enjoy the drama presentation on dealing with puberty them up to available health before the commencement of the Dialogue services. A community woman, with the help of her Laure, a woman who has had several family, shares her experience....with the Ask miscarriages and still births, recounts her Jigawa team experience to the Ask Kano team 12 Paths2 In Motion Still in the same communities, different groups were mobilized for public health dialogues in form of community meetings. Many of the discussions kicked off with short drama presentations. Available to support the discussions were public health specialists and counselors. The public health specialist corrected myths and provided accurate information on key health conditions discussed while the counselor supported people who are finding it hard to talk about or deal Ask Jigawa Media Team members capturing the voice of with particular health women in Jigawa during the challenges. polling process The dialogues were rounded up with a question and answer section on general health and well being issues followed by free medical consultations. A young girl takes time out of her farm work to respond to the polling questions on key health issues during the Ask Enugu media polling Paths2 In Motion 13 Media Polling team for Ask Enugu move into the farms to interview respondents One of the Interns for Ask Jigawa process administering Gloria of Community Health Research, polling question during the polling process in Karnaya conducts opinion polling on key health community issues on a group of community women in Kunchi community 14 Paths2 In Motion The Partnerships W e were not alone in all of these. The successful roll out of Ask Nigeria process pilot will not have been possible without the invaluable support of community gatekeepers like the Commissioner of Health Jigawa State, addressing traditional rulers and the the Emir of Ringim when he led the Ask Jigawa religious leaders. team on Advocacy visit to the Emir Ringim The religious leaders were not left out in the polling process of Ask Enugu. Many respondents attributed their not attending health facilities to their religious belief Ask Jigawa Advocacy Team with Emir of Gumel during one of the Advocacy visit to traditional/religious leader on Ask Nigeria Paths2 In Motion 15 Ask Kano Medical Team attend to a Ask Nigeria enjoyed the young female discussant of the tremendous support of the community dialogue event in Shuarki state ministries where we community, Kano worked. For example, in Kano, Ask Nigeria was adopted as the State Ministry of Health Communication Strategy to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Ask Jigawa Medical team defy rain to We equally worked with render outreach services and advice to the community selected NGOs/CSOs/CBOs all through the process, from the baseline study to advocacy and promotion, to opinion polling and the public health dialogues.