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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Joseph J. Valadez, PhD, ScD, Monitoring and Evaluation, NGO Networks for Health, 2000 M Street NW, Suite 500, Washington DC, DC 20036, 202-261-4694, JValadez@ngonetworks.org, Fernando Campos, MD, C/O Dr Valadez: NGO Networks for Health, NICASALUD, 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington DC, FL 20036, and Allan Hruska, PhD, C/O NGO Networks for Health, NicaSalud, 2000 M Street NW, Washington DC, DC 20036.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants will learn how: (1) the NicaSalud network (15 NGOs) aided Nicaragua recover from Hurricane Mitch. (2) Nicaraguan NGOs monitored the recovery process at 3 time points using key community child survival and reproductive health indicators (3) to use the LQAS methodology to improve community health programs.
METHODS: 15 NGOs worked in three low income and remote northern regions of Nicaragua: El Pacifico, Las Segovias, Jinotega. All NGOs used the LQAS methodology for baseline surveys and annual monitoring. Confidence intervals were: +10% for NGO areas, +7% for regions, and +4% nationally. The 1998 DHS established pre-Mitch indicator values.
RESULTS: Example results demonstrating Nicaragua’s recovery presented as Pre-Mitch DHS, Immediately Post-Mitch, and Mitch Recovery: (1) ORT home treatment (60%, 23%, 53%), (2) Mothers of infants sought medical treatment during diarrhea episodes (40.95%, 22%, 45%), (3) Mothers demonstrated accurate preparation of ORT (NA, 43%, 78%), (4) Mothers with deliveries attended by clinical provider (60%, 52%, 71%), (5) Exclusive breastfeeding (children 0-5 months) (28%, 35%, 62%).
CONCLUSIONS: Data revealed some community health indicators not seriously affected by the Hurricane: 52% of mothers continued seeking clinical assistance for deliveries immediately after the Hurricane. Other indicators (diarrheal disease control) were seriously affected but improved post-Mitch. Regular LQAS supervision permitted 15 NGOs to identify programmatic priorities, and improve impact. The supervision system was locally managed and can be replicated elsewhere in either disaster recovery or development programs.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: International Reproductive Health, International Health
Related Web page: www.ngonetworks.org
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.