Overview

Rebuilding Basic Health Services Project is a five–year, USAID-funded project working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) to increase access to basic health services and to support the decentralized management of the health system in Liberia, as outlined in the National Health Policy and Plan and as part of the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS). The project is managed by John Snow Research & Training Institute (JSI), in partnership with CCP, Jhpiego and Management Sciences for Health (MSH).

CCP manages the social and behavior change component of the project, working at both the national and county levels to support the MoHSW Health Promotion Unit in implementing the BCC and community mobilization strategy. The strategy focuses on five priority health areas: 1) maternal and newborn health; 2) child health; 3) adolescent sexual reproductive health; 4) HIV; and 5) malaria.

Accomplishments

• In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, RBHS worked with twenty-eight health service providers to build their capacity in health promotion as they prepare for their work as health promotion focal persons in their Districts.
• RBHS supported the National Malaria Control Program and the Liberia Football Association in their launch of United Against Malaria Campaign activities in Liberia. During the football match between Liberia’s Lone Stars and the Ghanaian Black Stars, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was awarded a pair of golden boots in recognition of her efforts to fight malaria in Liberia and across Africa.
• RBHS, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nimba County Health Team, and other implementing partners completed a training workshop for the first group of general Community Health Volunteers (gCHVs) from health facilities supported by Equip-Liberia. One hundred gCHVs benefitted from workshop sessions on health promotion and the use of the community health education skills toolkit (CHEST kit). The CHEST kit is a package of activities, health information, and materials that the gCHVs can use to address the health information needs of their communities and to facilitate one-on-one and group health education sessions.
• RBHS kicked off campaigns promoting HIV prevention and the use of family planning through sports in the counties of Grand Cape Mount, Lofa, Nimba, and Bong. Highlights from the month-long campaign included: HIV/AIDS training sessions in selected catchment communities of health facilities; using the Journey of Hope kit; and a one day mini-tournament bringing together soccer and kickball teams from selected communities. The activities were held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s four county health teams and RBHS implementing partners: MTI, Equip, IRC-Nimba, Africare, and IRC-Lofa.