{"id":8356,"date":"2017-01-11T14:47:42","date_gmt":"2017-01-11T14:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/?p=8356"},"modified":"2017-01-16T12:30:10","modified_gmt":"2017-01-16T12:30:10","slug":"tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling childhood illness in Madagascar"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children\u2019s laughter is a sound often heard around Velondriake, a locally managed marine area in southwest Madagascar. Practicing their front-flips into the sand, playing football, or greeting passers-by with a loud and enthusiastic <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">salama! <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(hello!), children here are like children anywhere. And like children anywhere, they deserve good health and healthcare. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blue Ventures\u2019 efforts to support communities to improve <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blueventures.org\/conservation\/rebuilding-fisheries\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">food security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blueventures.org\/conservation\/aquaculture\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">household income<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are addressing some of the social determinants of health and disease, while\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blueventures.org\/conservation\/community-health\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safidy programme<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0works to improve access to community health services\u00a0and uphold reproductive rights. This includes empowering couples to make their own family planning choices, and promoting behaviours that can\u00a0optimise health for pregnant women and babies, for example, attending perinatal\u00a0consultations and breastfeeding exclusively.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_8357\" style=\"width: 910px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8357\" class=\"wp-image-8357 size-paperback-full-width lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-1200x800.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-97x65.jpg 97w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-535x357.jpg 535w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-724x483.jpg 724w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-1300x867.jpg 1300w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/945A0652.jpg 1600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/600;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8357\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Smiles are never far from the faces of the children around Velondriake | Photo: Gabriel Diamond<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, when a child falls ill, parents may not know when to take them to see a medical professional. The health facility might be too far away, or closed, or lack medications. The family may not be able to afford the journey, or there might not be transport available. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><span class=\"pull-right\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.who.int\/maternal_child_adolescent\/epidemiology\/profiles\/neonatal_child\/mdg.pdf\">The most recent figures for Madagascar<\/a>\u00a0suggest that 21 babies per 1,000 born die within the first 28 days of life\u00a0(neonatal mortality rate), with a total of 56 children per 1,000 born\u00a0dying before their fifth birthday (child mortality rate).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ministry of Health in Madagascar, together with other health partners including\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.msh.org\/our-work\/projects\/usaid-mikolo\">USAID Mikolo<\/a>, has therefore\u00a0implemented a programme which addresses these concerns: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">la Prise en Charge Int\u00e9gr\u00e9e des Maladies de l\u2019Enfant au niveau Communautaire<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (which translates as: integrated community-based management of childhood illnesses), or PCIMEC for short.\u00a0In the context of<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0ambitious targets set recently by the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/health\/\">Sustainable Development Goals<\/a>\u00a0with regards to reducing child mortality<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, PCIMEC is welcomed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Child mortality rates are hard to establish for the area around Velondriake as many births are unregistered, but rates are\u00a0likely to be higher than the national average given that people living in rural areas with poor access to health services usually fare worse than their wealthier\u00a0urban counterparts.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_8394\" style=\"width: 910px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8394\" class=\"wp-image-8394 size-paperback-full-width lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-1200x310.png\" width=\"900\" height=\"233\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-1200x310.png 1200w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-100x26.png 100w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-700x181.png 700w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-745x192.png 745w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-1300x336.png 1300w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36-300x78.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/Screenshot-2017-01-11-14.31.36.png 1494w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/233;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8394\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: The Madagascar Demographic and Health Survey<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PCIMEC is based on care being provided by <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agents Communautaires<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ACs) or community health agents: women nominated and selected by their communities who are trained to assess, diagnose, treat and follow up on unwell babies and children, referring\u00a0them to government health facilities when necessary. Pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, malnutrition and measles are prioritised by PCIMEC as they are all common and easily treatable conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ACs provide community education to encourage\u00a0people to take steps to improve their own health and prevent disease. Diagnosis tools, such as testing kits for malaria and respiratory rate timers for pneumonia, are given to ACs so that they can\u00a0provide immediate treatment when appropriate, and advise parents to take their child to a government health facility if the child has serious symptoms. For those\u00a0who are less unwell, ACs are able to provide a full course of treatment and provide follow up. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ACs therefore carry a large\u00a0responsibility in their communities, and so far the challenge has been met with enthusiasm. The ACs in the areas around Velondriake have already completed an <a href=\"https:\/\/blueventures.org\/usaid-mikolo-partnership-health-environment-southwest-madagascar\/\">intensive eight-day training with USAID Mikolo in June 2016<\/a>, and now Blue Ventures is continuing to mentor and support these ACs as they offer their services. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As part of this programme of support, we recently ran two refresher courses for the 32 ACs in Velondriake: one held in the village of Andavadoaka, and the other\u00a0in Tampolove.<\/span><\/p>\n<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.blueventures.org\\\/en\\\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\\\/\"}' class=\"tiled-gallery type-rectangular\" data-original-width=\"900\"><div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 895px; height: 426px;\"><div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 572px; height: 430px;\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\/img_3661\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"8359\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3661.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1600,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_3661\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3661-476x357.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3661-644x483.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3661-568x426.jpg\" width=\"568\" height=\"426\" align=\"left\" title=\"IMG_3661\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 568px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 568\/426;\" \/><\/a><div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\">Travelling to the AC training in style by pirogue<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 323px; height: 430px;\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\/img_3698\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"8360\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3698.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,1600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_3698\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3698-268x357.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3698-362x483.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3698-319x426.jpg\" width=\"319\" height=\"426\" align=\"left\" title=\"IMG_3698\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 319px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 319\/426;\" \/><\/a><div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\">Practicing counting the respiratory rate of a baby<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For both courses, role plays were used to enable\u00a0the ACs to revise and practice what they had learnt. This practice is really valuable as it can be a huge leap to move from the textbook to the unwell child. ACs asked \u201cpatients\u201d (some of whom had brought their real children along as young actors and actresses!) about their symptoms, and then diagnosed, treated and referred on for further care as appropriate. They then received feedback on their performance: what they had done well, what they could improve next time. This was well received; the ACs are keen to learn.<\/span><\/p>\n<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.blueventures.org\\\/en\\\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\\\/\"}' class=\"tiled-gallery type-rectangular\" data-original-width=\"900\"><div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 895px; height: 315px;\"><div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 424px; height: 319px;\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\/img_3702\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"8361\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3702.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1600,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_3702\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3702-476x357.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3702-644x483.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3702-420x315.jpg\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" align=\"left\" title=\"IMG_3702\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 420px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 420\/315;\" \/><\/a><div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\">Measuring respiratory rates in real children during a role play<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 471px; height: 319px;\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/en\/tackling-childhood-illness-madagascar\/img_3712\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"8362\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3712.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1600,1078\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_3712\" data-image-description=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3712-530x357.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3712-717x483.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3712-467x315.jpg\" width=\"467\" height=\"315\" align=\"left\" title=\"IMG_3712\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 467px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 467\/315;\" \/><\/a><div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\">Observing a dramatised consultation from PCIMEC trainer, Nirina<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to ongoing support from Blue Ventures, the ACs will spend time working and being observed in government health centres. Only once the health staff are satisfied that the ACs are fully competent will they be allowed to work as independent PCIMEC practitioners. It doesn\u2019t stop there: ACs will require ongoing monitoring and support to ensure they are providing a good quality of care to the children they serve. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implementing the PCIMEC programme in our communities builds upon existing relationships with\u00a0government health facilities, and is a major step towards empowering communities in and around Velondriake to improve their health. It&#8217;s nearly a decade since the Safidy programme was founded, as a simple weekly family planning clinic in the village of Andavadoaka. Since then, an incredible group of extremely motivated women have enabled their communities to have improved access to health information, access to a\u00a0full range of family planning services, and access to basic maternal and child health services. The addition of PCIMEC to Safidy\u2019s repertoire will mean that for the first time, children in this remote part of Madagascar will have access to the life-saving healthcare that they deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_8363\" style=\"width: 910px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8363\" class=\"wp-image-8363 size-paperback-full-width lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-1200x900.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-87x65.jpg 87w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-476x357.jpg 476w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-644x483.jpg 644w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-1300x975.jpg 1300w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.blueventures.org\/media\/2017\/01\/IMG_3650.jpg 1600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/675;\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8363\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Successful completion of the training day in Andavadoaka! The ACs and training facilitators are showing off their new rucksacks with key healthcare equipment inside.<\/p><\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>This blog was written by Blue Ventures volunteer medic Emily Clark.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>All photos were taken by Emily Clark unless specified in the caption.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In partnership with Madagascar&#8217;s Ministry of Health and USAID Mikolo, Blue Ventures is training and supporting women in and around the Velondriake area to manage common childhood illnesses. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":8363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[345,622],"tags":[639,640,488,641,492],"class_list":["post-8356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-health","category-madagascar","tag-child-health","tag-safidy","tag-training","tag-volunteer-medic","tag-womens-empowerment"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - 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