Talking to Community: Behavioural Change in the Age of COVID-19

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Response to public health emergencies requires changes in regular behavioural patterns. Encouraging these changes requires coordination and an understanding of the culture and communities affected.

This article, written by Pramudith D. Rupasinghe, describes experiences with Ebola and COVID-19 wherein behavior change was an integral part of working with communities to prevent infection, care for the sick, and learn about the disease in Sri Lanka and Liberia.

Source: Talking to Community: Behavioural Change in the Age of COVID-19

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    How Should Community Health Workers in Fragile Contexts be Supported: Qualitative Evidence from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo

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    Community health workers (CHWs) are critical players in fragile settings, where staff shortages are particularly acute, health indicators are poor and progress towards Universal Health Coverage is slow. Like other health workers, CHWs need support to contribute effectively to health programmes and promote health equity.

    Yet the evidence base of what kind of support works best is weak. The authors present evidence from three fragile settings—Sierra Leone, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo on managing CHWs, and synthesise recommendations for best approaches to support this critical cadre.

    Source: How Should Community Health Workers in Fragile Contexts be Supported: Qualitative Evidence from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo

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      A Coordinated Public-Private Sector Response in Liberia to COVID-19

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      In February 2020, the Healthcare Federation of Liberia (HFL) was officially launched and elected its first governing board. The HFL will provide coordination among all private health stakeholders across Liberia and act as a consolidated voice to advocate for improved quality of care and increased collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

      The launch of the federation followed an assessment of Liberia’s private health sector, conducted by the USAID-funded Health Policy Plus project in 2019, which identified the need for a unifying body as a vehicle to improve the private health system. The HFL’s organizational strategy was to focus on strengthening standards within—and accreditation of—private facilities, providing access to business financing and supplies of essential commodities, such as for family planning.

      However, on March 16, 2020, Liberia recorded its first COVID-19 case. As of April 10, Liberia has recorded 37 cases and five deaths. The most important task for the HFL in its first month of operation, therefore, became coordinating an effective private sector response to COVID-19.  This report tells the story of how Liberia responded to the pandemic.

      Source: A Coordinated Public-Private Sector Response in Liberia to COVID-19

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