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Knowledge
Sharing Forum in Nicaragua
USAID/Nicaragua is
implementing a rural water supply,
sanitation and health reconstruction project through six PVOs
with technical assistance from EHP/Nicaragua. To improve the
implementation, impact and sustainability of the project
activities, EHP/Nicaragua sponsored and implemented a forum
to share knowledge and exchange experiences and lessons
learned. Forum participants included field-level staff, social
promoters, technicians, field engineers, work supervisors and
program managers. One of the key objectives of the forum was
the identification of key problem areas or needs of the PVO
partner agencies which will require further EHP/Nicaragua
assistance and intervention. The forum resulted in increased
coordination and partnership between the six PVOs
implementing the project activities as well as improved
understanding and coordination with the Government of
Nicaragua agencies. The sharing of experiences was
particularly useful for the PVOs working in isolated areas of the
country. A report on the forum with detailed information on the
forum design, discussions, and conclusions can be accessed at: www.dec.org/pdf_docs/pnack728.pdf
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Integrated
Baseline Surveys in Madagascar
EHP is supporting a
four-year program in biologically diverse ecosystems in Madagascar linking and integrating activities
among projects in population, health and environment (natural
resource management). The central hypothesis of the program is
that by integrating natural resource management activities with
population and health activities, programs will be more
effective and sustainable.Voahary Salama or Integrated
Programs Initiative (VS/IPI), a consortium of 20 partners that
EHP initiated, implements the program.
EHP�s principal role in
VS/IPI is monitoring and evaluation as
well as operations research. EHP is currently developing and
testing an integrated survey instrument for a baseline study and
follow-up surveys that will measure household practices,
attitudes and participation in community development activities.
The objective of the baseline study and follow-up surveys is to evaluate the effectiveness of the multi-sectoral integrated
approach. Among key indicators identified are health outcomes,
nutritional status, and fertility control practices. These
indicators have been selected because they are directly linked to
natural resource management, agricultural practices, and
livelihood issues. The quasi-experimental design of the baseline
study comparing control and intervention communities
increases the ability of follow-up surveys (which will use the
same instruments) to attribute improvements over time to the
interventions. Effectiveness will also be measured in qualitative
terms through participatory action research by the University of
Michigan Impact Assessment Project.
For more information on
the program, please contact Eckhard
Kleinau ([email protected])
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Strengthening
Vector Control Programs in Africa: A Summary of Case Studies in Four
African Countries
A Regional Consultative
Meeting was sponsored by WHO/AFRO in Harare, Zimbabwe, to develop a
strategy for strengthening the capacity of national ministries of health
in vector ecology and vector control in Africa. To support the meeting,
EHP funded a series of case studies in Uganda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and
Senegal.
The studies focused on
current activities and human resource capacity in vector ecology and
control in the four countries. Some major recommendations based on study
findings pointed toward the need for updating and utilizing available
entomological and parasitological data in programming decisions and in
forecasting epidemics. The need to establish a multi-national network to
monitor vector resistance to insecticides was also highlighted. Other
recommendations included the need to establish a regional network of
vector control specialists and to identify and develop cost-effective,
community-level vector control guidelines.
The report on the country
case studies and regional meeting proceedings will be available in March
2001. Please contact [email protected]
for information.
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Cost
Comparison of DDT and Alternative Insecticides for Malaria Control
EHP recently sponsored a
brown bag presentation on cost comparison of DDT and alternative
insecticides for malaria control. The guest speaker was Kathleen Walker,
Ph.D., from USAID.
In anti-malaria
operations, the use of DDT for indoor residual spraying has declined
substantially over the past 30 years. However, this insecticide is still
considered valuable in malaria control mainly because of its low cost
relative to alternative insecticides. A 1990 cost comparison by the WHO
found DDT to be considerably cheaper than other insecticides which can
cost 2 to 23 times more, on the basis of cost per house per 6 months of
control.
Dr. Walker�s
presentation compared recent price quotes from manufacturers and WHO
suppliers for DDT and appropriate formulations of nine other
insecticides. Calculations based on these "global" price
quotes show that DDT is still the least expensive on a cost per house
basis. However, the presentation also highlighted the fact that a
"global" cost comparison may not realistically reflect local
costs or effective application dosages at the country level. Data on
insecticide prices paid by national health ministries showed prices of
insecticides can vary substantially.
To obtain a copy of Dr.
Walker�s article on which her presentation was based, send a request
to: [email protected]
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Sanitation
in Small Towns in LAC
Hygiene education and
access to safe drinking water are generally viewed as two critical
factors in reducing the incidence of water-borne diseases. Although
equally important, access to sanitation has systematically lagged behind
water supply. In Latin America and the Caribbean, only 80% of urban
populations and 40% of rural populations have access to sanitation.
A number of USAID
missions in the region have been supporting municipalities in the area
of water supply and sanitation (WS&S), many through municipal
strengthening programs, but efforts to date have focused more on
drinking water supply than on sanitation. A new activity to be
implemented by EHP will focus on sanitation improvement in small towns.
For this activity, small towns are defined as urban centers with
populations between 5,000 and 25,000. The intent of this definition of
"small towns" is to focus on the smaller municipalities rather
than the mid-sized to large cities. The proposed activity will build on
lessons learned from past EHP experience in the decentralization of
WS&S services.
Typically small towns are
not in a position technically, financially, or institutionally to
effectively provide sanitation services. This activity will define these
issues and examine potential solutions. The outcomes of the activity
will be (1) an overview document that defines the issues associated with
improving sanitation in small towns and (2) development of a methodology
and related tools that can be used in the planning and implementation of
improved sanitation strategies in small towns operating in a
decentralized system.
The methodology
will be developed this spring and is expected to be ready for pilot
testing in the summer of 2001. For more information on this activity,
please contact Fred Rosensweig ([email protected])
or Eddy Perez ([email protected])
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Electronic
Files for Old Favorites from WASH
The Water and Sanitation
for Health Project published a number of reports that were considered by
many to be timeless, and indeed are still useful and often
requested. EHP has recently prepared electronic files for
several of these "golden oldies"�Technical
Report 32, 37, 41, 85, 86, 87, 88, 92, and a Fact Sheet on Water Reuse.
Technical Report 32 is the widely acclaimed Facilitator
Guide for Conducting a Team Planning Meeting. To see a list of
these reports, click here.
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What's New on Other Pages
EHP
Spanish Page -
this
new page will contain Spanish language EHP reports and information
products. It
will also contain links to key environmental health web sites in
Spanish.
New
at EHP Activities
New at Info Services
Environmental Health
Updates:
Malaria Bulletins:
New at Publications:
Strategic Paper 1. Case Studies on Decentralization of WS&S
Services in Latin America. This document can be downloaded as one
file (602KB) or by individual case
studies/chapters. It is
also available in Spanish, either as a single file
(435KB) or by individual case
studies/chapters.
Activity Report 103. Forum for
Knowledge Sharing and Lessons Learned. Programa Rural de Agua
Potable, Saneamiento y Salud Ambiental, Managua, Nicaragua. For the
English version of the report click
here. Copies in Spanish can be
requested from EHP at [email protected].
New at Linked Sites:
Updated Meeting Alert
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Previous
Issues of "What's New?"
The main topics or countries
discussed are given in parentheses.
January
2001 at EHP (EHP
Activities, E-Newsletter, National Malaria Control Programs in 4 African
Countries, Congo, Decentralization in Latin America, Peru, WSSCC Forum,
Global WS&S Assessment from WHO/UNICEF)
November
2000 at EHP (Nicaragua,
Dominican Republic, Madagascar, SANICONN)
September
2000 at EHP (Nepal/Regional,
EHP and E-conferences)
July
2000 at EHP
(Nicaragua, Malaria
Vaccine Development, "Water for the World")
May/June
2000 at EHP
(Nicaragua, International
Consultation on Indoor Air Pollution)
April 2000 at EHP (Nicaragua,
Madagascar, Mozambique)
March 2000 at EHP
(Benin, South Africa,
Eritrea, Madagascar)
February 2000 at EHP
(Nicaragua, Paraguay,
Ukraine, Mozambique and Eritrea)
January
2000 at EHP (Nicaragua,
EHP Lessons Learned)
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