HEALTHCOM in Nigeria : final case study evaluation report

The evaluation covers the period 5/87-8/91. In Niger State, the project assisted the Health Education Unit (HEU) of the Ministry of Health in improving immunization education. The project persuaded the Ministry to finance the expansion of the HEU by constructing a graphics unit and a darkroom, and the HEU now has its own budget line in the annual budget. Training of HEU staff focused on three elements: the use of focus groups to determine the level of knowledge about childhood diseases, the importance of pretesting print and radio messages, and the wide use of print materials in face-to-face communications. The importance of pretesting seems to be the most widely assimilated element. The project also succeeded in developing close collaboration between the HEU and radio and television producers. HEU staff complained that they were not sufficiently involved in the planning of project activities and were not informed of the extent of available project resources. The project was also criticized for not working sufficiently with other development projects in Niger State. In the Rafi and Suleja local government areas, the project worked to improve school pupils' health through potable water and improved personal hygiene, organization of school health clubs, improved malaria treatment, and increased immunizations for measles. One-week workshops were held for screeners and vaccinators from health facilities, for teachers, and for traditional birth attendants and members of some nongovernment organizations. The intervention succeeded in establishing collaboration among organizations with a common goal and in obtaining the full support of local government officials. However, there was no evidence that the intervention had any impact on malaria treatment or measles immunization. attributed to: overly broad objectives, unclear training, unrealistic expectations for student activities, and the termination of the monitoring and supervision system. At the federal level, the project aimed to improved the capacity of the HEU in Lagos. The project succeeded in upgrading the graphics capabilities of the HEU dramatically through a combination of training and equipment purchases. However, due to rapid turnover of counterparts, no one was sufficiently trained in the project methodology to carry on by themselves.