Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111936

Pierre-Marie Metangmo, MD, MBA, MPH, Plan International, Senior CS Program Coordinator, 3260 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 21, Arlington, VA 22201, 703 807 0190, pierremarie.metangmo@plan-international.org, Laban Tsuma, MD, MPH, Headquarters, Plan International, 3260 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 21, Arlington, VA 22201, and Luis Tam, MD, DrPH, Plan USA, 1730 N Lynn St, Suite 600, Arlington, VA 22209.

Background: Plan International has been implementing a five-year Child Survival project in partnership with the Ministry of Health and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Eastern Province in Cameroon since 30 September 2000. The project is located in three Health Districts of the western part of Cameroon's heavily forested Eastern Province The project's goal is to create a sustained reduction in infant and child mortality through increased access to community-based health care and improved quality of health services in the project area. Design/Methods: Plan was selected by the MOH to participate in the IMCI pilot program for Cameroon as the lead agency for Doume District, together with UNICEF (lead agency for Ngaoundere District) and WHO (lead agency for Eseka District). The project supported and implemented 11-day Health Worker Case Management Course but also worked with MOH to strengthen health facilities by providing needed supplies and equipment. It also helped MOH to set up systems to assure delivery of outreach services to affiliated communities. The project supported the MOH community outreach policy to empower communities to improve local health resources and to increase access to health services. It worked to improve the functioning of the Health Area Committees. Project interventions were strengthened using BCC activities designed to promote health-seeking behaviors. Results/Outcomes: Significant quality of care results were demonstrated using the IMCI approach. Assessment for all danger signs for children presenting with illness improved from 10.5% in 2000 to 72% and 42.3% respectively in IMCI trained and untrained health workers. Caretakers correctly counseled about a sick child improved from 36.3% in 2000 to 97% (IMCI trained) and 65.4% (IMCI untrained) as did the correct knowledge of caretakers about giving dispensed oral medications which improved from 44.8% in 2000 to 84.6% (IMCI trained) and 34.6% (IMCI untrained). Conclusions: Quality of care by health workers was improved even among those not directly trained in the 11-day course due to improved local access to preventive and curative services through capacity building interventions that targeted households, communities and health facilities. Plan is now in a position of assisting the Government of Cameroon in expanding IMCI to the entire country based on the lessons learned from this pilot project.

Learning Objectives:

• To recognize that IMCI requires more than Health Worker Case management Training. To recognize that community demand for IMCI improves Health Worker's quality of care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.