STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES & ACTION PLAN. Research, Advocacy, Health Promotion & Surveillance

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Audra Watkins
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1 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES & ACTION PLAN Research, Advocacy, Health Promotion & Surveillance February 2012

2 INTRODUCTION Addressing the rising trends of Non-Communicable Diseases in low and middle income countries Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are a rising threat to many lives in Africa. These subtle and invisible diseases represent a developmental threat to the overall wellbeing and economic status of the population at large in the continent. Engage Africa Foundation aims at addressing these long term threats through strategic policy advocacy, population awareness and prevention of these diseases. Assuming these comprehensive roles with the sole aim of curbing the long term devastating effects of NCDs, Engage Africa Foundation will adopt a variety of activities at all levels- macro, meso and micro of the system in order to mount up a positive and long lasting response against NCDs. Workplace Strategic objective 1: Information dissemination and awareness building in the workplace Create regularly updated list of registered organisations in the locality Develop advocacy materials specifically tailored to the workplace that will be disseminated through employers, uniformed services, small and medium sized businesses, informal sector unions, trade unions, workers unions, factories, occupational health services, and professional organisations In order to achieve (ii) above will solicit the collaboration of the above mentioned in the creation of context specific advocacy materials for the workplace Strategic objective 2: To build organizational capacity to engage with and promote healthy lifestyles in the workplace Skill development for health behaviour change through periodic multistakeholder training summits on chronic disease prevention through the workplace Awareness raising on the importance of healthy lifestyles to organisational growth Training and consultation provided by Engage Africa Foundation Sharing of best practices between organisations

3 Incentives to encourage healthy lifestyles through fostering periodic sporting activities between organisations and using this as a means to reinforce awareness in between annual summits Creation of incentives to reward organisations that have a strong focus on healthy lifestyles for their employees Process indicator: % of workplace organizations willing and taking appropriate steps to improve the knowledge of workers on NCDs and NCD risk factors Outcome Indicator: % of workplace organizations with any facilities or activities promoting healthy life style behaviors to prevent NCDs Community Level Strategic objective 3: Increase community awareness of chronic disease and prevention. Community health outreaches with local leaders, community based organisations, age grade associations and town unions Creation of community events to foster healthy lifestyles in conjunction with local leaders Process Indicator: % of communities (districts) with community health workers trained on NCD awareness, prevention and health promotion Outcome Indicator: % of communities (districts) with target population aware of NCDs, its preventive measures and are adopting these i.e. healthy eating, physical activity, not smoking. Academia Strategic objective 4: Information dissemination and capacity building for chronic disease awareness and prevention at all levels of academia with an emphasis on risk factor reduction through lifestyle behaviour change especially in the youth Work with academic management to identify peer educators and provide skills development and information to provide advocacy and disseminate information at each level of academia- primary, secondary, tertiary. Collaborate with ministry of education, professional academic leadership, teachers, lecturers, student unions and societies to disseminate information on chronic disease prevention and control

4 Process Indicator: The development of a national school policy that promotes healthy eating and physical activities through the Ministry of Education. Policy options could be in the following categories: Facts on NCDs and its risk factors incorporated in the school curriculum Health promotion for school staff National/ State recognition for schools promoting and facilitating health eating habits, and physical activities. Outcome Indicators: Increase by at least 20% annually, the percentage of students aware of the health benefits of healthy dietary habits, physical activity and no smoking. Non-Governmental Organizations Strategic objective 5: Partnerships and horizontal learning with NGOs such as those in media communication, community action, women, children, social development, education, consumer rights, health, youth organisations Consultation meeting to benefit from their experience in refining local strategy Gain input on best practices, networks, opportunities and challenges Partner with them as channels for information dissemination Identify and develop strong partnerships with civil society groups, research organisations, locally, continentally and internationally working in the area of non-communicable disease especially in Sub-Saharan Africa Strategic objective 6: Develop partnerships with relevant line ministries Ministry of Education Collaborate with ministry of education in creation of context-specific awareness materials for academic institutions (primary, secondary, tertiary) Ministry of Information Assist in the distribution and use of chronic disease information materials prepared by Engage Africa Foundation Collaborate in the creation of context specific advocacy packages for different spheres of society on chronic disease

5 Facilitate access to public and private media houses for the awareness creation Ministry of Health Will solicit their oversight and collaboration in implementing the program in each context especially with regard to refining strategy Collaborate with them to facilitate access to and identify networks for awareness creation Will also invite them to commission and lend credibility to Engage Africa Foundation-led projects Outcome Indicator Increase by at least 20% annually, the number of states or districts in which the Central Ministry of Health s NCD policies and strategic actions are implemented and monitored. State and Federal Government Strategic objective 1: Liaise with government counterparts in the relevant NCD department/unit and WHO to perform a national baseline analysis survey of the prevalence of NCD risk factors in the country. This survey will assess the following key points: Proportion of the population at a high risk of developing NCDs- The prevalence of NCD risk factors in the population Proportion of the population who are aware of NCDs and its key risk factors- Population awareness of NCDs Proportion of the population suffering from priority NCDs-Prevalence of NCDs in the country Current availability of referral centers or key sectors that addresses NCDs and its risk factors. Availability of relevant awareness/preventive/curative centers as compared to need. The overall aim of this survey will be to assess the extent to which NCDs and its risks factors are currently a problem in the country and the extent to which they could be a problem in the long term if appropriate actions are not mounted. Strategic Action Plan: Develop partnership with the relevant unit in WHO- HQs, WHO- Regional office and Country office.

6 Develop partnerships with key international and local NGOs with an advocacy stream and with mandates to tackle NCDs Build partnership with local government This could be done through organizing a stakeholder meeting to present our goals and strategic action plans. This would be after the implementation of the pilot study and securing funds for expanding the study to the national level. Strategic objective 2: Liaise with imminent NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and the private sector to send a joint request to the government, advocating for the implementation of policies and laws restricting tobacco use in public places. E.g. Policies and laws could be enacted on smoke free areas such as in schools, restaurants, public transport areas etc. so as to give each and every person the right to breathe clean smoke-free air where they live, work and play. The Media Strategic Objective 1: Increase awareness of the burden of NCDs in the country through educational national talk shows, publicity, radio talk shows. Once a quarter, organize a national talk show with a popular TV channel, to discuss key issues about NCDs. Present at this talk show could be a few imminent personalities who have personally been impacted by NCDs and would like to serve as media ambassadors, and a broad spectrum of citizens including young adults, students and older persons. Our target population could be individuals in the age group Organize television and radio jingles, and galas, to increase awareness of chronic diseases and promote healthy life style behaviors. Media champions, celebrities, health professionals and people living with NCDs should be involved during these events to promote the cause and fight against NCDs. Strategic Objective 2: Increase awareness of the immediate and long term benefits of healthy foods- fruits & vegetables, the bad effects of smoking, alcoholism and physical inactivity through publicity and educational talk shows. Build partnership with the media and advocate for publicity on healthy foods, the long term effects of smoking and physical inactivity. Outcome Indicators: Organize at least once a year, a broadcasted educational talk show on National TV or Radio on NCDs, their prevalence, risk factors and preventive measures. Inter-sectoral participation should be a priority

7 during such events and this sessions will involve discussion between leading civil servants on how their various sectors can and plan to work together to address this menace of chronic disease. The Health System Strategic Objective 1: Advocacy & capacity building, for strengthening the monitoring, recording and surveillance of NCD cases in all health systems at district, province and States level. Advocate for a national NCD database to be developed and functional (if none exist yet). All levels of the health system would then be mandated to input into this database, all new and old cases of NCDs. This database could serve the purpose of monitoring and tracking the prevalence rate of NCDs in the immediate and long term. Build the capacity of focal persons in the health system on how to conduct and implement the WHO STEPwise approach to chronic disease risk factor surveillance. Strategic Objective 2: Advocate for all health systems to be sites of awareness on NCDs to the population. Doctors, midwives, nurses, and other health workers should be health promoters to the population on healthy diet, the importance of physical activity and the negative effects of smoking. Strategically advocate for an NCD day just like Global Malaria day, HIV day, or Hand washing day. Liaise first with WHO HQs for this. Advocate for a national campaign and awareness event during this day. A national outreach program could be conducted, and stations mounted for people to check for common risk factors for chronic disease by measuring their blood pressure, heart rate and BMI at no cost. At these stations participants will be provided with resources and information on how to better manage their health as well as informed of the negative consequences of not doing so. Process Indicators: The development of a national and decentralized database on the monitoring and surveillance of NCDs, and NCD risk factors. Increase the % of health staff (nurses- by at least 20% annually) trained on basic facts about NCDs, its risk factors and modes of prevention.

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