On behalf of Plan International Health Focus e.V. is supporting girls’ clubs in four major urban centres in Guinea. The project starting on the 1st of April 2019 and running for one year is aimed at supporting teenage girls and adolescents develop leadership, decision-making, and community mobilisation skills and becoming advocates for
Human rights and child protection
Sexual and reproductive health rights
Gender and inclusion.
The clubs provide a protected environment for exchange, learning and personal growth.
In Guinea girls still face many barriers to education and a self-determined life caused by cultural norms, practices and poverty. 19% of girls in Guinea are married before the age of 15 years and child marriage before the age of 18 years is prevalent with levels between 65 – 75%, depending on the country´s region. Negative cultural health practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) are widespread and violence against women and girls is deeply rooted in society. Girls’ clubs are expected to positively change girls’ knowledge, confidence, attitudes and practices in managing violence and inequality and become activists ultimately influencing and changing gender norms in family dynamics and communities.
Combating HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in Eastern Congo
Client: Cordaid, financing through the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Budget: 812 695,29 USD
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) the HIV prevalence is around 1.2%, with marginalized groups such as survivors of sexual violence, men who have sexual contact with men, and sex workers being particularly affected. About 29% of HIV-positive pregnant women transmit the virus to their newborn, which contributes significantly to the spread of HIV.
Health Focus e.V. therefore supports the national strategy for combating and limiting HIV/AIDS in the east of the country with funds from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). The program includes prevention and treatment activities for people living with HIV and aims to:
1) Reducing the transmission of HIV from mother to child from 34.4% to 8%;
2) Reducing the death rate due to HIV from 75 out of 1000 people in 2012 to 32 out of 1000 in 2017; and to
3) Offering antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to 90% of HIV and tuberculosis-infected patients by March 2018.
Health Focus e.V.'s team of experts supports 11 health districts in the South Kivu Province – Walungu, Kaziba, Ibanda, Bagira-Kasha, Kamituga, Lemera, Ruzizi, Uvira, Nundu and Fizi – and subordinate institutions in their needs-based ordering of medicines for diagnosing and treating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, integrating HIV-positive people into specific care programs, and awareness-raising programs.
In 2016 and 2017, 367 686 women and men in the 11 health districts were tested for HIV and are now aware of their results, 8 689 of whom were HIV positive and have been receiving treatment since then. 12 826 seropositive people were additionally tested for co-infection with tuberculosis.
Post-Ebola Intervention in Guinea
Client: GIZ (German International Development Cooperation) Budget: 713 647,20 EURO
Health Focus e.V. witnessed first-hand how fragile and unprepared Guinea and its health and surveillance systems were when the recent Ebola epidemic occurred. We mobilised funds from the German International Cooperation (GIZ) to support the post-Ebola interventions in the three regions, Labé, Mamou and Faranah, where Health Focus was already working. Between 2015 and 2017, Health Focus e.V. implemented a two-year programme in these regions to improve the quality of medical diagnostics and treatment. In close coordination with the regional authorities and partners, Health Focus e.V. supported 13 health centres out of the 30 existing health structures with a laboratory in the three regions. Refurbishment and expansion of the hospital and health centre laboratories included the renovation of five laboratories; provision of water and electricity connection in nine laboratories; repair or construction of incinerators in five health structures; and equipping of laboratories with solar refrigerators (six) and IT kits (eight). All laboratories were equipped with reagents and consumable materials.
In order to assure that laboratory diagnostics are based on the laboratory standards defined in the Minimum Package (Paquet Minimium d'Activité =PMA) for hospitals and health centres, Health Focus’ support involved providing training on:
pre- and post-analysis in biomedical laboratories to 40 lab technicians, 34 practitioners and 19 supervisors
principles and elaboration of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) 38 lab technicians;
operation and maintenance of incinerators to 5 laboratory managers and 5 operators;
hygiene and safety in a laboratory setting to 11 lab technicians
biosafety and good laboratory practice to 9 lab technicians, 5 physicians and 2 supervisors
In addition, nine laboratory managers and pharmacists were trained in the administration and management of laboratories, addressing topics such as quality control and stock management procedures.
Health Focus e.V. also worked with 45 health committee members and trained them in governance and IEC/BCC (information-education-communication/ behaviour-change-communication) techniques. Capacities were developed to enable them to carry out awareness-raising activities in the communities and increase the demand for the use of health services.
Last but not least, Health Focus e.V. supported the development of a reporting system for laboratory test results for infectious diseases in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and representatives of regional and prefectural health authorities in the three regions.
Study on psychosocial care for refugees in collective living quarters in the Federal State of Brandenburg
2015 was a challenging year for Germany, with the country receiving 1,100,000 refugees. Although it had long been anticipated that a large number of refugees would come to Germany, the country was not adequately prepared at federal, state or municipal level. Thus, accommodation for refugees had to be arranged rapidly: Pension rooms were rented, existing collective living quarters were overcrowded, lightweight halls were built or, in the worst case, gyms were turned into mass accommodation facilities. In addition to the spatial requirements and sanitary standards, standards for the safety, protection and psychosocial care for refugees in existing accommodation had to be developed and adopted. Organisations that manage refugee homes are aware of the problems which could occur, for example when living spaces are too small and overcrowded; when refugees with different cultural backgrounds or when young men and women as well as families with children share accommodation; as well as from inadequate health care. In the Federal State of Brandenburg, binding standards for accommodation of refugees in collective living quarters did not exist in 2015.
Health Focus e.V., in collaboration with the Workers' Welfare Regional Association (AWO) Potsdam, carried out a study with funding from Aktion Mensch. The aim of the study was to determine the level of need for psychosocial counseling and support for refugees in their accommodation, and at generating recommendations for action. Health Focus e.V. analysed the housing conditions in six selected collective living quarters in the State of Brandenburg through key informant interviews with managers, social workers, psychologists and security guards, as well as with the City of Potsdam’s coordinator for refugee issues. In addition, a focus group discussion was held with residents from one collective living quarter, who had different countries of origin. On basis of this study, Health Focus e.V., in collaboration with the AWO that manages collective living quarters for refugees, developed recommendations and standards for the accommodation of refugees and their psychosocial care in the State of Brandenburg. They were presented to local and state politicians, local authorities and the public at a press conference in February 2016.
Angie is a girl from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She suffered from acute lymphatic leukemia, which is a very rare, but aggressive and rapid type of cancer that affects the white blood cells (blood cancer). Children and adolescents are most often affected. Today, modern examination methods and therapy options make it possible for nearly 90% of patients to survive the disease. But this is not so in Kinshasa.
Angie had no chances for recovery in her home town. That was why the Health Focus team, together with the initiatives “Ein Herz für Kinder (A heart for children)”, “Aktion Kindertraum (Campaign Child Dream)”, “Krebskranke Kinder in Not (Children suffering from cancer in need)” and “Verein für krebskranke Kinder in Rostock (Charity for children with cancer in Rostock),” helped Angie to get treatment at the University Hospital in Rostock.
Within the short time given we succeeded in mobilizing the amount of 120,000 Euros for Angie’s treatment. In the spring of 2015 - one year after the cancer was diagnosed – Angie was cured and released from hospital to start maintenance treatment. This was a wonderful success and great joy for all who know Angie. We want to thank again all donors and volunteers for their commitment.
