Opening & Plenary Updates
Board of Directors Report
Judy Lewis, Chair, CORE Group Board of Directors
Dory Storms Award Presentation
David Oot accepted the 2015 Dory Storms Award. Oot is a renowned leader in global health and child survival, dedicated to improving the lives of women and children for more than 40 years. Read his full bio and his acceptance speech here.
KEYNOTE: Implications of the Sustainable Development Goals for Community Health Programming
Jenny Russell, Director of Development Policy & Advocacy, Save the Children; Moses Ngulube, Regional Social Accountability & Learning Coordinator, World Vision Southern Africa Regional Office; A.Tianna Scozzaro, Director, Global Population & Environment Program, Sierra Club
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2016 – 2030 were launched at the UN Summit in NYC at the end of September 2015 to “transform our world” to overcome the tyranny of poverty and “heal and secure our planet”. SDG3 directly addresses health “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” while many of the other 17 goals address a myriad of the social determinants critical to good health. The SDGs also complement the new UN Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health and support the Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD) commitments. This session was a moderated discussion with time for audience question and answer.
- Jenny Russell provided a brief orientation on the SDGs and their ratification, and the roles played by civil society groups.
- Moses Ngulube described how World Vision mobilized international support to include community voice and accountability in the SDG process and how they plan to monitor governments’ commitments.
- A. Tianna Scozzaro discussed the evolution of population, health and the environment as a fully integrated space and a microcosm of how the SDGs can expand health into a broader development agenda, as well as next steps for finalizing the SDG indicators.
Listen to a recording of the whole opening and plenary session.
Concurrent Sessions
Factors Associated with Growth in the First 1000 Days: Translating Evidence into Programs for Stunting,
Wasting and the Double Burden of Malnutrition
Moderator: Jennifer Burns, International Medical Corps | Speakers: William Checkley, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Justine Kavle, USAID’s Maternal and Child Survival Program / PATH; Amelia Reese-Masterson, International Medical Corps
This session presented research and programmatic data examining the relationships between weight and length in early infancy and childhood, including stunting and wasting, and the double burden of malnutrition (stunting and overweight). Program implications were discussed during this session.
By the end of this session, participants had:
- Gained an understanding of the relationships between weight and length in early infancy and childhood.
- Learned about factors associated with the double burden of malnutrition in the first year of life and relationships between wasting and stunting.
- Gained learnings to apply to their programs which focus on the first 1000 days.
Factors Associated with Growth in the First 1,000 Days by William Checkley
Factors Associated with Growth in the First 1000 Days_CORE Group Summary
New Trends for HIV Clinical Platforms: Prevention, Care, and Treatment of NCDs
Moderator: Mychelle Farmer, Jhpiego | Speakers: Linda Kupfer, Fogarty International Center, NIH; Jason Sreedhar, Public Health Institute; Susan Vorkoper, Fogarty International Center, NIH
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) include chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory diseases, and these conditions are responsible for more deaths in low and middle income countries than infectious diseases. Although there are many factors contributing to the high prevalence of NCDs, many adults infected with HIV can experience one or more of these conditions. This session provided information supporting integrated care and treatment for NCDs within HIV clinical care programs. Experts in HIV and in chronic diseases are now taking a closer look at correlates between these conditions, and participants learned about their work during this concurrent session. They also had the opportunity to learn from CORE Group members who developed successful programs to address the dual burdens of HIV and NCDs. This session gave participants an opportunity for small group discussions about integrating NCD care into their organization’s health programs.
By the end of this session, participants were able to:
- Describe the importance of HIV clinical platforms for the prevention and control of NCDs in low and middle income countries.
- Identify at least two ways that clinical programs can be strengthened through improved dialogue with the research community.
- Identify at least two challenges clinical programs experience as they integrate NCDs into HIV care and treatment.
Experience from the Field: CVD/HIV Integration by Rebecca Dirks
New Trends for HIV Clinical Platforms_CORE Group Summary
What Does it Really Take: An Interactive Discussion on Integration from the User, Provider and Project Staff Perspectives
Moderator: Mary Hennigan, Catholic Relief Services | Speakers: Lauren Brown, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Mark Hathaway, USAID’s Maternal and Child Survival Program / Jhpiego; Janine Schooley, PCI
As the demand for evidence-based development solutions is growing, programs are increasingly considering whether and when integrated and multi-sector approaches work best to achieve broad global development goals. As part of CORE Group’s commitment to supporting effective integrated human development solutions, this interactive session provided a forum to discuss integration from the perspectives of users, providers, and project staff. How does each consider integration? What are the pros and cons of integrated services? What is working? What are the challenges and gaps in incorporating the perspectives of users, providers and project staff in integrated services?
By the end of this session, participants had:
- Discussed the benefits and challenges of integration from three perspectives: the users, providers and project staff
- Discussed what works and what is challenging for each topic (to be compiled into a summary document at the end of the session).
- Developed appropriate steps for strengthening integrated projects.
Maximizing CHW Effectiveness and Retention through Quality Supervision
Speakers: Laura C. Altobelli, Future Generations; Lauren Crigler, Crigler Global Consulting, LLC; Lee Losey, CORE Group Polio Project; Jennifer Nielsen, Helen Keller International; Hannah Taylor, International Rescue Committee
Supervision of Community Health Workers (CHWs) is one of the most important elements in CHW programming, and yet it is also the most challenging. In this session, presenters demonstrated the importance and objectives of CHW supervision, the different strategies to make it functional, and the various parties and actors who could be involved in the process. Participants learned about different models of supportive CHW supervision that were successfully matched and used by four international non-governmental organizations according to particular contexts or settings.
By the end of this session, participants had:
- Recognized why CHW supervision is essential in the success of CHW programs and determine the key factors, strategies, and challenges for efficient and useful supervision.
- Identified alternative approaches to the traditional CHW supervision (external, facility- based supervisors) through different innovative models to enable program managers to decide what is best suited for a particular setting.
Community Health Worker Supervision: Maximizing Effectiveness and Retention by Lauren Crigler
Supervision: Is It Showing Us the Real Picture? by Hannah Taylor
CHW Reference Guide Chapter 10 Supervision of Community Health Workers
Community Health Mangement Committee Roles
Community Health Management Committee Assessment and Improvement Matrix
Ten Recent Important CHW Global Overviews
Lunchtime Roundtables
Working Group Chair Meeting
Carolyn Kruger, Project Concern International
All Working Group chairs were invited to join this discussion. This meeting was an opportunity to connect with other WG chairs and address any cross-working group issues or opportunities.
Haiti Secretariat: Collaboration for EPCMD
Judy Lewis, Independent
The Haiti Secretariat is currently composed of 36 organizations (International, national and UN) working in more than 80 locations in all 10 of Haiti’s departments. The secretariat is part of the Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) in Haiti and is focused on community and civil society engagement to End Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD). In March 30 organizations met to plan the work of the secretariat and this group voted to name the secretariat PRESHACO (Platforme des ONGs pour le Renforcement et l’Harmonisation de la Sante Communautaire/ Platform of NGOs for the Reinforcement and Harmonization of Community Health). The first activity was a mapping of NGOs working nationally by location and types of RMNCH services provided. The formal launch of the secretariat occurs in the fall 2015. The results of the mapping were presented, the Terms of Reference were be approved and signed by the members. CORE members working in Haiti formed the foundation of the secretariat. This session provided an update for CORE members working in Haiti. The CORE secretariat has been well accepted by the organizations. They see the need because they have been working in communities without any structure for coordination. The importance of sharing learning from successes and challenges has also been noted. The secretariat advisor, Andrinette Marie Policard Cadet, and MCSP advisor for the community health civil society team in Haiti, Judy Lewis, presented information from the mapping and the vision and goals of the secretariat.
Community Voice, Social Accountability and the SDGs in Southern Africa
Moses Ngulube, World Vision Southern Africa Regional Office
This lunch session provided an opportunity to informally continue discussions about civil engagement in the SDGs raised in the morning plenary.
Working Groups
Child Health
Interim Chair: Suzanne Van Hulle, Catholic Relief Services
Focus on the child is critical to the EPCMD agenda. This new working group enabled members to come together across various technical areas to focus on critical childhood diseases including diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria.
Activities centered around integrated Community Case Management (CCM), WASH, vaccines, and integration of AIDS, TB and Malaria around the child’s health. Michel Pacque, Team Lead for Child Health / MCSP, presented an overview of child health issues; Dyness Kasungami, Sr. Child Health Advisor / MCSP, presented an overview of the iCCM Taskforce; and Anne Detjen, Health Specialist Childhood TB /UNICEF, gave an update on Pediatric TB.
Community-centered Health Systems Strengthening
Co-Chairs: Alfonso Rosales, World Vision; Alan Talens, World Renew
In this session, Alfonso Rosales (World Vision –US) presented an overview of Health Systems Strengthening, showing the various building blocks (WHO) as well as gaps and issues to having a whole picture description. This discussion included the relationship of the community–based system and facility–based system (national health system) and how this linkage could be strengthened.
The working group discussed and agreed on which cross-cutting issues in HSS to focus on. Ideas included:
- Community-based systems in the building blocks of national health systems (creating HSS platforms inclusive of community health)
- Human resource capacity for CHWs
- Community Management Structures
- Social Capital
- Civil society engagement
As HSS is a new WG focus, the second half of Working Group time was devoted to developing the WG’s vision and objectives, as well as a brainstorm for the possible activities and timelines based on the cross –cutting issues chosen in the earlier WG time. Logistics such as frequency of meetings and matters to discuss during calls were also included in the agenda for this meeting time.
HIV/AIDS
Co-Chairs: Jean Claude Kazadi, Catholic Relief Services; Gloria Ekpo, World Vision
The HIV/AIDs group updated members on the Global Fund New Funding Mechanism and how to access funds through that mechanism; and share findings from the survey and solicit input on the way forward, especially regarding earlier communications on transiting the HIV WG into an interest group.
Malaria
The Malaria Working Group decided to integrate their agenda within other Working Groups and did not meet this conference.
Monitoring & Evaluation
Co-Chairs: Claire Boswell, Salvation Army World Service Office; Dora Curry, CARE; Devina Patel-Shah, World Vision
The M&E Working Group had two primary tasks during the working group time:
- Reviewed one or two examples of training materials for building basic M&E skills in field staff. This activity was part of our FY16 work plan, and was a starting point to our solicitation for additional materials.
- Discussed the review and vetting process for additional modules in the Rapid Health Facilities Assessment.
M&E Working Group FY16 Work Plan
Nutrition
Co-Chairs: Jen Burns, International Medical Corps; Justine Kavle, PATH; Kathryn Reider, World Vision
During the first session, there was a review of the FY16 work plan and an opportunity for members to contribute to activities. We:
- Reviewed the FY16 work plan and sought input from members
- Held discussions and reported out on the following questions as they related to the concurrent session “FactorsAssociated with Growth in the First 1000 Days and Implications for Programming”:
- What are the implications of the findings from the ‘growth in the first 1000 days’ panel?
- How will you take these findings forward – in thinking through application for your programs/ projects to address stunting and wasting?
- What about implications for the double burden of malnutrition (stunting and overweight)?
During the second hour we held a joint session with the SBC working group to further brainstorm areas for collaboration in FY16. Ideas to considered included: holding joint webinars throughout the year, including one on evidence and tools for conducting cooking demonstrations and participatory techniques to developing messages for the demonstrations; developing and testing mobile nutrition applications to affect behavior change; using digital games to affect nutrition behavior change in particular in adolescents; and community participatory design of nutrition interventions.
Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health
Co-Chairs: Carolyn Kruger, PCI; Tanvi Monga, ICF/MCSP; Amy Metzger, Independent
Discussions took place at the Fall Conference to determine if this WG will refocus their attention and potentially subdivide into two WGs:
- Maternal and Newborn Health WG; and
- Sexual, Reproductive, and Adolescent Health WG
Everyone will met together initially and then split into separate discussions to review interests and activities by topic area.
There were also two speakers during the WG time:
- Promoting respectful childbirth care in Tanzania: findings from implementation research, Kate Ramsey, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. This presentation began with a brief review of progress in the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) movement and then described the specific experiences with the Staha Project in Tanzania, which was one of the first attempts to measure prevalence of disrespect and abuse and has tested a process to improve respectful childbirth care.
- Rwanda Kangaroo Mother Care national acceleration project, Neena Khadka, Save the Children, MCSP
Respectful Maternity Care by Emily Peca
Kangaroo Care Acceleration in Rwanda by Neena Khadka
Social & Behavior Change
Co-Chairs: Lenette Golding, Palladium; Kamden Hoffman, INSIGHT: Innovative Social Change in Global Health, LLC; Paul Robinson, International Medical Corps
During the first session the group discussed SBC trending topics and the current status of the SBC working group Work-plans. We answered these questions:
- What are the priorities on the horizon our group should be proactive about in the SBC landscape?
- What things should we ensure continue, e.g. book club, webinars?
- Should the group take a collective look at the SBC Work Plan and re-visit pending tasks so these can be accomplished timely?
During the second hour, the WG focused on Joint Efforts including:
- Following up on joint SBC/Nutrition WG activities, progress to date, brainstorming on new ideas for 2016, e.g. a joint webinar on tools to enhance cooking demonstrations with a nutrition and SBC focus to it, and other areas of synergy.
- Brainstorming next steps on how the SBC WG can create synergies among other groups, e.g. support HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria groups, or work more closely with the M&E working group.
Review of SBC Working Group Work Plan
Tuberculosis
Co-Chairs: Anne Detjen, UNICEF; Gagik Karapetyan, World Vision
The TB working group tried something new this year. The main interest of CORE members for TB seemed to lie within the focus areas of other working groups rather than in a standalone group – and this is exactly how we saw a key role for the CORE community: thinking about and leading ways to better integrate TB in other programs to increase access to diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
We created task teams within the other relevant working groups that identify an area of work that supports the integration of TB in the context of these groups. A few examples are: Addressing childhood TB in CCM, childhood TB and severe acute malnutrition, TB and maternal health.
To achieve this, we needed drivers, people who were willing to initiate the dialogue and lead these task teams. The task team leaders would then form the TB working group and communicate amongst each other, disseminate information within CORE group. This is how we proceeded during the fall meeting:
For the first hour and a half of working group time, all those interested in TB went to the working group of their choice. For the last 30 minutes of the working group time, task team leaders gathered to discuss work-plan and next steps.