MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH SURVIVAL PROGRAM (MCSP)
Daughters of Virtue and Empowerment Initiative (DOVENET), is a non-governmental organization established and registered in the year 2005 with the vision to see that every woman, child, youth (Girls) are to contribute meaningfully to the society. DOVENET works with community structures, health partners, and government agencies in 143 wards in 13LGAs of Ebonyi state. In the JSI-USAID MCSP-EQUiPP Project, DOVENET worked in 7 wards of implementation of Izzi West LGA of Ebonyi State to reach out to her targeted population on Child health and demand creation.
DOVENET partnered with MCSP in the ENSURING QUALITY INTEGRATED COMMUNITY CASE MANAGEMENT THROUGH PARTNERSHIP AND PROPRIETORY PATENT MEDICINE VENDOR (EQuiPP) DEMAND CREATION PROJECT from July to November,2018 to implement in Izzi LGA- Izzi West Senatorial District of Ebonyi State. This project is aimed at raising awareness on the three preventable diseases- Malaria, Pneumonia and Diarrhea for children of 0-5 years , and reach the caregivers and the households on availability of quality health care services at their door post, identify sick children and refer for treatment. In summary, the project improved demand creation activities, promoting child health messages and proper care seeking practice in Izzi west LGA.
Highlights:
DOVENET adopted the following four strategies and approaches which was deployed in realizing specific objectives of the project. Home visit, Community Dialogue, Townhall meetings, Monitoring.
For ownership and sustainability of the project; DOVENET ensured participation and involvement of Community Stakeholders/leaders and heads of agencies at the state and LGA level in all her activities and program also a Sustainability/Resource Mobilization Meeting-Activity was done As group of community volunteers, and WDCs came together to form a support group with a name “Izzi West Child Health Support Group”
In this project under report, DOVENET conducted advocacy at the state level and in the LGA and in 7 wards. 21 Ward Development Committees and 37 Community Volunteers implemented the project.
Ward Development Committee on EQUiPP were selected, instituted and trained, their roles were to Advocate for acceptance of EQUiPP initiative in communities, Oversee and support the implementation of EQUiPP initiatives and activities in communities, Nominate community volunteers for participation on EQUiPP , Monitor all EQUiPP demand creation activities including participating in monthly review meetings, Mobilize local resource for smooth implementation of EQUiPP activities, Develop sustainability plan for EQUiPP demand creation initiative, Constitute WARD based Advocacy, Demand Creation and Social Mobilization (ADCSM) committee who will continue to run EQUiPP initiative, Support ADCSM committee to continue to implement EQUiPP demand creation initiatives after the project
Also Community Volunteers on EQUiPP were identified, selected and trained to, Advocate for the support of malaria, Pneumonia and Diarrhea for children under five initiatives in the community, Mobilize community care givers to undertake child health preventive and treatment initiatives, Communicate health seeking messages to caregiver of children under five years old to influence their care seeking practices positively , Refer sick children to MCSP supported PHCs/PPMV shops, Trace/Track referred sick children to ensure treatment has been accessed, Attend monthly EQUiPP review meetings as well as health service providers meetings (PHC/PPMV) to provide/receive feedback and update knowledge and skills, Partner with other CBOs to further Malaria, Pneumonia and Diarrhea initiatives in the community, Serve as the link between the health facilities, the PPMV and the community members.
DOVENET supported her trained WDCs and CVs in implementation of community-based advocacies, training, dialogue meetings, community-based Sensitization outreaches, house-to-House visits, special events and in the mobilization of caregivers and sick children, these group who were identified sick and were referred immediately for treatment and care.
DOVENET in her pragmatic effort to create demand for quality child health service on preventable illness (Malaria, Pneumonia, & Diarrhea), got into partnership with JSI-USAID MCSP-EQUiPP project in July 2018 to implement in seven communities of Izzi West constituency; to this effect, DOVENET collaborated with the state ministry of health, Local government social welfare unit and other community structures such as the Ward Development Committee Members (WDC) to implement her activities of which successes and achievement are highlighted below respectively.
