Key SFPS interventions in the area of IEC include:

Enter-Educate, pioneered at CCP, uses the power of entertainment to reach audiences and motivate them to adopt positive health behaviors. Wake-Up Africa! is an innovative initiative bringing together musicians from West and Central Africa for the recording of an upbeat, yet poignant song which gives hope to the listening audience in stopping the spread of AIDS. Featured musicians include Papa Wemba, Manu Dibango, Koffi Olomide, Nyanka Bell and others.Wake Up Africa! Song and Concert CD’s, audio cassettes and a music video were produced in collaboration with AED and Artistes Contre le SIDA (ACS). The concert debuted on opening night of the Tenth Annual International Conference on AIDS/STD’s in Africa, in December 1997. The song will be launched in each country accompanied by public service announcements about AIDS prevention by the musicians and community based activities.

Designed by ATB to entertain men and women while incorporating motivational and informational messages, this 26-part series also provides positive role models for specific behaviors. The drama includes urban and rural settings for wide audience appeal and the mention of real places and events throughout the region. For example, one story line follows a truck driver who regularly travels through several of the region’s countries and cities, along the way he learns a tough lesson about sexually transmitted disease. The series was broadcast on Africa No.1 (regional radio) as well as on national and local stations. Due to its success, it will be rebroadcast in the Spring of 1998.

In Cameroon, this strategy promotes the training of community mobilizers from existing womens’ religious associations and men and women’s community groups (called Tontines or Njangi) to disseminate information on family planning, STD’s and AIDS and ORS, as well as to motivate the community to seek additional information and services. Sixty dynamic men and women have been selected and trained and are currently implementing the plans of action they designed immediately following their training. The Cameroon model for community mobilization as well as an alternative model implemented by Mwangaza , an NGO in Burkina Faso, will be documented to facilitate replication of similar activities in other parts of the region. FAMU is producing a video-documentary which outlines the development and implementation of the Cameroon model, piloted by FESADE.

As part of an overall quality initiative, the Gold Circle Strategy (GO) will have a concurrent focus on service delivery improvements (supply side) and the promotion of these improvements (demand side). On the supply side, SFPS will continue to focus its quality improvement efforts on increased access to family planning methods, improved client-provider relations, integration of services, improved clinical management and infection prevention. On the demand side, the GO strategy will promote issues relevant to the client, such as reception and waiting time. The IEC campaign will include materials support for the clinics, community-level promotion and mass media activities. The Gold Circle will be used as a regional symbol to identify and promote health centers which implement these quality improvements.

The adoption of positive health practices is often influenced by the quality of care the individual receives while at a health clinic or other service delivery point. Quality of care is dependent upon, among other things, the interpersonal communication and counseling skills of clinic staff. Situational analysis done in the region indicate that counseling is often done poorly, if done at all. In order to improve quality of care, an integrated training package for IPC/C is being developed and adapted for two separate audiences: the first health educators and non-medical personnel; the second service providers. Modules include client reception and orientation, information and management of side effects, referral for other related services, removal of medical barriers and infection prevention. The first curriculum is completed and training with auxiliary staff at model clinics took place in February and March in the 4 project countries. CAFS is responsible for adapting the curriculum for service providers and will work in tandem with national supervisors to provide on-site training. Additionally, an Integrated (FP/STD/MCH) IEC curriculum developed by CHP for training service providers at the non-model sites was used at TOT's in all four project countries.

A needs assessment of IEC/Health training programs was conducted in collaboration with BASICS in order to better understand the status and needs of IEC training programs at the regional and national levels. Concurrently an inventory and catalogue of existing programs was completed. A summit held in Dakar, Senegal, took place in order to develop a strategic approach to IEC training in the region. The recommendations made at the summit included:

• Develop strategy for IEC advocacy in order to elevate the position of IEC in health programs
• Improve qualitative and quantitative research for IEC
• Strengthen professionalism via university courses and degrees in IEC

To support counseling and outreach activities, an IEC Kit, developed by CERCOM, has been designed and distributed to enhance the communication capabilities of clinic and field personnel across the region. Print and audio materials reflect and support messages delivered through mass media and community mobilization. The current kit includes posters, cue cards, stickers, brochures as well as an audio cassette created from a selection of the regions most impressive material. Additional clinic materials developed will be distributed during training workshops, supervision visits and through official distribution networks. These include: pamphlets on oral contraceptives, IUD, injectables, counseling checklists, referral worksheets, client materials on side effects and their management, STD wall charts, algorithm handbooks and infection control reminders.

Communication Empowers!

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