COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT FOR HEALTH (CSH) PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT APR-JUN 2012

The project's technical team developed a series of products, including flyers, posters, radio and TV scripts, to support the project's three national campaigns: the Safe Love campaign, the STOP Malaria campaign, and the newly launched Mothers Alive campaign. The CSH team also finalized the concept paper and formative research strategy for the upcoming 1,000 days nutrition campaign and assessed the impact of the project's oldest campaign, Safe Love, through a rapid survey. The grants and M&E team continued to support and monitor the progress of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) implementing community Safe Love activities, and assisted CHAMP and Afya Mzuri in their progress towards launching newly expanded services. The project's major accomplishments include supporting World Malaria Day with community outreach activities, including a successful primary school quiz, and supporting VCT Day with community outreach activities that resulted in 176 males getting circumcised. The CSH team also launched the Safe Love PMTCT mini-campaign and finalized additional Safe Love materials, including draft scripts of all 26 episodes of the TV drama series. The project's quarterly report highlights the following major accomplishments: * Supported World Malaria Day with community outreach activities, including a successful primary school quiz. * Supported VCT Day with community outreach activities that resulted in 176 males getting circumcised. * Launched Safe Love PMTCT mini-campaign and finalized additional Safe Love materials, including draft scripts of all 26 episodes of the TV drama series. * Conducted Safe Love rapid survey that found exposure to the Safe Love radio and TV announcements/programs to be 30.3 percent and 63.8 percent, respectively. * Launched Mothers Alive campaign and began development of campaign materials, including flyers, posters, and a Change Champion documentary. * Began implementation of SMGL activities, including distribution of birth plans. * Conducted M&E training needs assessment to inform development of the formative research curriculum for provincial and district level GRZ staff. * Distributed and disseminated National Malaria Communication Strategy (2011-2014) in eight provinces targeting MOH partners and district malaria focal point persons. * Completed BCP training for provincial officers. * Installed draft campaign tracking database at NAC and MOH for them to review internally and provide feedback. The project's plans for the next quarter include rolling out the STOP Malaria campaign into three provinces, selecting STOP Malaria CSOs and producing additional campaign materials, launching the Safe Love alcohol mini-campaign, engaging CSOs to implement Mothers Alive campaign activities, and supporting the GRZ to commemorate Child Health Week and World Breastfeeding Week. The project's implementation of malaria activities was scaled down due to insufficient funding until mid-April 2012, but activities have since resumed. The CSH team has been working to strengthen the national health communications campaigns in Zambia, and the project's major accomplishments and plans for the next quarter demonstrate its commitment to improving health outcomes in the country. The project's technical team has been developing a series of products, including flyers, posters, radio and TV scripts, to support the project's three national campaigns. The CSH team has also been working to strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to implement community-based interpersonal communication activities for the campaign through a program called Champion Communities. The project's plans for the next quarter include translating, pre-testing, and producing STOP Malaria radio skits, community drama scripts, and a game/quiz for primary schools. The CSH team will also be branding additional walls with campaign messages in various provinces and holding coordination meetings and preparations for SADC Malaria Week. The project's implementation of the Safe Love campaign has been expanded to include the promotion of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. The CSH team has been working to strengthen the capacity of CSOs to implement community-based interpersonal communication activities for the campaign through a program called Champion Communities. * Expanded the focus of the Safe Love campaign to include the promotion of PrEP and PMTCT of HIV.