MSH Global Health Impact Newsletter

Saving Lives, Improving Health: 12 Stories from Around the World  

January 2014          


This special edition of the Global Health Impact Newsletter features 12 stories from 2013 highlighting how MSH is saving lives by strengthening health systems at all levels--from the household to the community to the health facility to national authorities. These stories were selected through an internal storytelling contest (available in print soon). We are also pleased to share a post from President and CEO Jonathan D. Quick outlining our vision for 2014.    

 

Highlights

Household level

"I Can Make It!" The Story of Bridget

by Gilbert Ojiakor and Farzaneh Foroozan

 



Bridget is one of more than 1,000 caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children that MSH and partners have trained on children's health and emotional needs and income-generating skills, such as how to start a business, track income and expenses, and regularly save money.

Read story from Nigeria >>

Family Matrix Improves TB Case Detection in Rural Ethiopia

by Abel Helebo

Family Matrix Improves TB Case Detection in Rural Ethiopia
 



Many women in Ethiopia who are not usually supported by their male partners to access health care are benefiting from health workers trained to use a family matrix system that prioritizes TB screening for family members of TB patients.

Read story from Ethiopia >>

Community level

Catching Mosquitoes, not Fish: Returning Bed Nets to their Proper Use in DRC

by Am�lie Sow-Dia

Catching Mosquitoes, not Fish: Returning Bed Nets to their Proper Use in DRC
 


"Sleep under a net every night to live safe from malaria" and other malaria awareness and prevention messages have reached approximately 140,000 Congolese from 194 villages.

Read story from Democratic Republic of the Congo >> 

Religious Leaders Aid Adherence to ART

by Genaye Eshetu

Religious Leaders Aid Adherence to ART
 



Holy water and ART? Yes, both, say Ethiopian religious leaders, such as Haileselassie, who are providing spiritual support to people living with HIV and encouraging followers to access HIV treatment and support at health centers.

Read story from Ethiopia >> 

Community Case Management of Malaria Saves Lives of Children Under Five

by MSH staff

Community Case Management of Malaria Saves Lives of Children Under Five
 
A pilot project in Burundi is helping ensure rapid testing and treatment of malaria at the community level, leading to more rational medicine use, improved health outcomes, and reduced child mortality.

Read story from Burundi >>

Community-Based Initiatives Improve Sanitation and Health in Waru, Nigeria

by James Ayodele

Community-Based Initiatives Improve Sanitation and Health in Waru, Nigeria

 



"This is the first health program to sustain our community for a long period of time," says a volunteer project manager from Waru. "We now know what to do to keep our environment clean and, as a result, malaria, cholera, diarrhea, and other diseases have been reduced in our community."

Read story from Nigeria >>

Health facility level 

Improving Care for Cancer Patients at Kenyatta National Hospital

by Wawira Munyi

Improving Care for Cancer Patients at Kenyatta National Hospital











The Kenyatta National Hospital Cancer Treatment Center team participated in an MSH-led Leadership Development Program (LDP), choosing to work together to reduce waiting time for new cancer patients. After six months of building skills in problem solving, team work, resource mobilization, stakeholder mobilization, and partnership, the team surpassed its original target by reducing the waiting time for cancer patients from five weeks to one week.

Read story from Kenya >>

Antiretroviral Dispensing Tool Ensures Uninterrupted Supply for HIV Patients in Kenya

by Yvonne Otieno

Antiretroviral Dispensing Tool Ensures Uninterrupted Supply for HIV Patients in Kenya
 






Hospital workers are using electronic pharmacy management software to increase the quality of patient care, catch errors in prescriptions or patient information, and identify when patients have missed their appointment or are in danger of running out of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).

Read story from Kenya >>

Championing Medical Laboratory Biosafety Standards at Facility Level in Kenya

by Doris Bota and Judy Mwangi

Championing Medical Laboratory Biosafety Standards at Facility Level in Kenya
 




To reduce laboratory workers' exposure to biohazards, MSH has been supporting training and follow-up at facilities in selected counties across Kenya, enabling lab technicians such as Edison to champion efforts for infection prevention and control.

Read story from Kenya >>

Improving Family Planning Commodity Management in Dity, Haiti

by Marjorie Eliacin

Improving Family Planning Commodity Management in Dity, Haiti







"We can anticipate shortages and make appropriate preparations to ensure that the people of Dity always have access to family planning methods," says Nurse Odila of Dity Health Center. Coordinated distribution and training of health workers is helping ensure the regular availability and effective management of family planning commodities.

Read story from Haiti >>

Reviving Santo: Sudanese Refugee Accesses TB Treatment

by Stephen Macharia

Reviving Santo: Sudanese Refugee Accesses TB Treatment
 

The USAID-funded TB CARE I South Sudan project is helping to build hospital staff's capacity in tuberculosis (TB) treatment and infection control--despite challenges the health workers face.

Read story from South Sudan >>

National level 

Transforming Ethiopia's Health System with Data-Driven Pharmaceutical Services

by Hailu Tadeg

Transforming Ethiopia's Health System with Data-Driven Pharmaceutical Services


 

The US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Systems for Increasing Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program, led by MSH, has partnered with the Government of Ethiopia to bring a 100-year-old pharmaceutical management system into the 21st century.

Read story from Ethiopia >>
 
 Stronger health systems. Greater health impact.


A Note from Dr. Quick
Read Dr. Quick's blog post: Vision 2014
Vision 2014:
UHC and the Opportunity for a Healthy Life


In 2014, universal health coverage (UHC) will play a pivotal role in helping us attain our vision:

A world where everyone has the opportunity for a healthy life.


Vision 2014: UHC and the Opportunity for a Healthy Life

Read Dr. Quick's blog post >>

Connect
Find us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  View our profile on LinkedIn  View our videos on YouTube
Global Health Impact Blog
Support


Donate
Work with us
Director for Country Operations
(DRC)

Senior Director, Health Systems Innovation and Strategy
(US, MA or VA)

Director, International Business Proposal Development
(US, MA or VA)

Director, Country Office Finance and Accounting
(US, MA)

Director, Business Development and Standards
(US, VA)

Senior Business Development Specialist (US, MA or VA)

Research and Communications Specialist
(US, MA)

Find more jobs >>
 


Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  View our profile on LinkedIn  View our videos on YouTube  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the Global Health Impact Blog