Communications Support for Health Program (CSH) Quarterly Report October-December 2011

The program is funded by USAID's Indefinite Quantity Technical Assistance and Support Contract, Task Order GHS-I-05-07-00004, Contract No. GHS-I-007-00004-00, implemented by Chemonics International in association with ICF MACRO and the Manoff Group. The CSH program aims to strengthen national health communications campaigns, increase the use of evidence-based health communications approaches by the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ), and build local capacity to support sustained implementation of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC)/Behavior Change Communication (BCC) activities. The program also seeks to coordinate IEC/BCC activities between USG projects and support the rollout of major CSH-supported campaigns. During the quarter, the rollout of major CSH-supported campaigns continued. The Safe Love campaign was expanded with two provincial launches and the publication of the first issue of the health newspaper insert, Live Today. The STOP Malaria campaign was launched in November, and CSH and partners completed the strategy design for the safe motherhood campaign and developed a concept paper for the nutrition campaigns. To build capacity, GRZ health officials received training in BCC and participated in the formative research for the safe motherhood campaign. CSH also selected five local organizations to implement Safe Love campaign activities at the community level. Additionally, CHAMP and Afya Mzuri made progress in implementing activities under the CSH grants. CHAMP hired new telephone counselors, while Afya Mzuri completed renovations and began testing of their new IT services and capabilities. Major accomplishments during the quarter include the launch of the STOP Malaria campaign in Mongu, which resulted in over 800 people being tested for malaria, and the initiation of discussions with key stakeholders to develop the concept for the nutrition campaign. The Safe Love campaign was launched in two provinces, Lusaka and Luapula, and the first issue of the health newspaper insert, Live Today, was produced and circulated. The program also supported the National AIDS Council's second National Prevention Convention and presented a paper on the CSH BCC HIV prevention activities. Contracts were signed with five civil society organizations selected to implement evidence-based prevention interventions at the community level. Plans for the next quarter include engaging CSOs to implement the rollout of the STOP Malaria campaign, launching National Malaria and HIV/AIDS Communication Strategies, and engaging media houses and creative agencies to produce campaign products for the safe motherhood campaign. The Safe Love campaign will also be launched in two more provinces, Southern and Eastern, and the second, third, and fourth issues of Live Today will be produced and circulated. The integrated malaria, MNCH, and nutrition campaign was expanded, with the launch of the STOP Malaria campaign in Mongu, which resulted in over 800 people being tested for malaria. The campaign rollout plan was developed, and a monitoring and evaluation framework was added to the campaign communication strategy. Products and outputs included campaign launch materials, malaria Q&A booklets, malaria treatment and prevention brochures, campaign factsheets, and bumper stickers. Challenges faced during the quarter included the overshadowing of MNCH and nutrition by malaria during the campaign launch and difficulty in producing products on time for the launch event. Proposed solutions included specific activities to highlight MNCH and nutrition components of the campaign in the rollout activities and planning campaign material production well in advance of launch events. The comprehensive HIV prevention campaigns were also expanded, with the Safe Love campaign being launched in Lusaka and Luapula. The first issue of the health newspaper insert, Live Today, was produced and circulated, and scripts for episodes 4-8 of the radio drama series Life at the Turn Off were reviewed and are now in production.