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Access to custom-made shoes is substantial to sustain Lymphoedema Morbidity Management-Health Workers

With objective of sharing lessons and best practices among district health offices and health centers, a one day project reviewing meeting was held in three different places: Fintoteselam (July 14, 2021), Debretabor (July 16, 2021) and Bahirdar (July 21, 2021)

The project under review is entitled as ‘The Next Steps for podoconiosis patients in Amhara region’ is a three year project implemented from April, 2020 to March, 2023 in seven hyper endemic districts: Bure, Dera, Fogera, Gongi Kolela, Jabi Tehinan, Sekela, and Yilmana Densa districts. The project is funded by IZUMI foundation through Footwork the International Podoconiosis Initiative (www.podo.org).

In the review meeting health workers from each target health centre and Woreda Health Office and Woreda Finance and Economy office, Zonal Health Department (ZHD), Regional Health Bureau (RHB), Regional Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, FMOH NTD team representatives participated.

Through the panel discussion facilitated by FMOH, RHB, and ZHD, the following issues were discussed and highlighted:

The need of galvanizing efforts to mobilize domestic resource to address the high demand of custom-made shoes and other treatment consumables
The need of close follow up, monitoring and supervisory visits which motivates the task force at the periphery and address challenges
The Woreda Health Office should include the podo management plan in the woreda base plan and the program should be closely supported by integrating into the woreda supportive supervision checklist and similarly as the health centers supports respective health posts.

NaPAN received grant from Ethiopiaid, UK

NaPAN continues partnering with Ethiopiaid UK, a charity organization dedicated in transforming lives in Ethiopia.

NaPAN has recently received £40,793 matching fund from Ethiopiaid UK to support the treatment supplies demand in lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis endemic districts while implementing a project entitled as Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Morbidity Mapping and Management in Ethiopia.

Through this grant, more 600 community individuals will be reached through woreda level advocacy and more than 120 Health Extension Workers (HEWs) through training in community mobilization and patient referral in 20 woredas. The grant will also support access to treatment supplies (wash basins, soaps, skin ointment and anti-fungal creams) for more than 2000 individuals with lower leg lymphoedema. And More than 700 custom-made shoes will also be distributed to those individuals who cannot access shoes from the market due their severe lymphoedema.

NaPAN received grant from FCDO via Crown Agents

NaPAN has recently entered into contractual agreement to roll out a project entitled as Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Morbidity Mapping and Management in Ethiopia . The project is component of the ASCEND Program financed by the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and granted through Crown Agents Limited. It is a one year project, February, 2021 to January, 2022, implemented in 45 LF endemic districts.

The project is designed to render two services: Morbidity Mapping and Morbidity Management. The first service consists in assessing the burden of LF related morbidities by mapping LF in 24 districts where the burden of the disease has not been known before. This service will be done by Health Extension Workers (HEW) through house‐to‐house screening of every household. The staff of catchment Health center will supervise the mapping exercise.

The second service, morbidity management and disability prevention, revolves around two outcomes: one is improved access to morbidity management services. The activities will consist in the provision of lymphoedema morbidity management service at Health Centers and Health posts level for 20,000 individuals. This entails training of health staff and equipping health facilities in the targeted districts with necessary equipment and supplies. The service will include the provision of hydrocelectomies service at hospitals for 1,500 individuals. This service will be implemented in 45 LF endemic districts. The other outcome is preventive measures, including hygiene promotion and behaviour change communication. The is, the project will provide community awareness, prevention of stigma and discrimination and psychosocial support. This includes Information Education and Communication (IEC) and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) material development and roll‐out thereby ensuring social care and prevention of stigma and discrimination.

Registration for the First International Podoconiosis Conference Opens

Footwork International is excited to invite you to register for the First International Podoconiosis Conference, to be held on Sunday 23rd September, 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Brighton & Sussex Centre for Global Health Research and Footwork are delighted to unite with local NGO and University partners and the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health to host this conference. As the country bearing the highest burden of podoconiosis globally as well as the one with the most advanced research and implementation, Ethiopia is the ideal setting for this conference.

The theme for this is ‘Research to Implementation: A Call for Global Action’. With this invitation to register, we are also calling for abstracts from all those involved in podoconiosis research and implementation. In order to stimulate high levels of participation, the conference programme will include two sessions of research presentations, one of implementation presentations, and a poster display area. Abstracts for each of these will be selected by competitive process, and prizes will be awarded for the best research and the best implementation presentations. Travel awards will be available for a limited number of selected abstracts.

The conference will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Addis Ababa. Accommodation is available there and at a number of other hotels within easy walking distance. The First International Podoconiosis Conference has been timed to precede the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) conference, and the two conferences will be united through a joint Welcome Reception on Sunday evening.

First International Podoconioisis Conference

Footwork International Podoconiosis Initiative has announced that the first international conference on podoconiosis will take place in Addis Ababa on Sunday 23rd of September 2018.

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