20 Sep 2018 Partnering To Improve Community Health Worldwide

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For nearly five years, PIVOT has been strengthening the public health system at all levels of care in Ifanadiana District, Madagascar. With over 70% of the population living more than a five-kilometer walk from the nearest primary care center, our work includes a specific focus on strengthening health services in rural communities to reduce childhood mortality.

As our team looks ahead to 2019 with a commitment to continue improving health outcomes at community level, we turned to two partner organizations from the Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC) who have been running high-performance programs in order to exchange experiences and learn lessons from their successes.

In September, we visited our partners, Muso, in Mali, and Integrate Health, in Togo. Those of us who made the trip play a role in the implementation and oversight of programmatic activities.

Dr. Ali Ouenzar (National Director), Justin Haruna (Director of Medical Programs), Hanitriniaina “Feno” Rafenoarimalala (Manager of Community Health), and Bénédicte Razafinjato (Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation). It was inspiring. For Feno and Benedicte, this was the first opportunity to travel outside Madagascar and a reminder that we are part of a much larger movement, with partners as committed as we are to reach everyone in need, everywhere.

We saw first-hand the power of enhanced proactive case-finding, where Community Health Workers (CHWs) go door to door to find sick patients in their homes. We also observed the potential of enhanced 360-degree supervision and the results of increasingly professionalized and compensated CHWs.

“The CHWs in Mali and Togo are incredibly motivated and proud of their work,” said Feno. “I was so inspired by Yaya, one CHW I had the opportunity to observe, who even brings her youngest child with her to work. It shows just how committed she is to caring for her fellow community members.”

Observing the use of mobile technology by CHWs was another opportunity for us to deepen our understanding of an initiative PIVOT plans to launch in 2019. We were fortunate to see the technologies of Medic Mobile in use by both Muso and Integrate Health. Medic Mobile’s applications work to provide decision support, enhance task prioritization, and improve supervision for CHWs. Our peer organizations provided valuable insights to aid in PIVOT’s endeavor to integrate the service at the community level in the coming year.

One key difference we discovered between PIVOT’s community health program as compared with those of our peers is the lack of road access and extensive remoteness of the communities we serve. Geographic barriers are a primary factor in the Ifanadiana District population’s ability and/or likelihood to seek care.

Overall, the exchange of knowledge and experience throughout the trip was invaluable, as we all share a vision for stronger healthcare delivery at the community level to reduce needless suffering worldwide. As we undergo our planning process for next year, we are grateful to have such amazing partners, critical for informing our community health approach moving forward.

”Our trip to Mali and Togo was an incredible opportunity to connect with our partners,” says Medical Director Justin Haruna of the experience. “I am confident that our learnings will strengthen our community strategy in 2019, enhance the work of our Community Health Workers, and ultimately make a significant contribution to the reduction of population morbidity and mortality in Ifanadiana District, especially among children under five.”

We extend our sincerest gratitude to our hosts and partners at Muso and Integrate Health, and look forward to the opportunity to welcome you in Ifanadiana District in the future!

 



  • Molecular Diagnostics

    Pivot has partnered with the Ministry of Public Health and Centre ValBio to develop the first molecular diagnostics laboratory for COVID-19 outside of the capital city.  We additionally have partnered with the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar on novel analysis of dried blood spots from I-HOPE survey for serological analysis of measles, malaria, schistosomiasis, Hep B, and COVID-19.

     

    Learn more: 

    Integrating Health Systems and Science to Respond to COVID-19 in a Model District of Madagascar, Rakotonanahary, R.J.L., et al., 2021, Frontiers in Public Health

    Reconciling model predictions with low reported cases of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Madagascar, Evans, M.V., et al., 2020, Global Health Action

  • Eco-Epidemiological Surveillance

    We collate environmental surveillance data (e.g. vector surveillance) with biomarkers from household surveys (e.g. rapid tests and antibody tests from dried blood spots of participants in the I-HOPE household survey) to inform the spatio-temporal dynamics of infectious diseases.

     

    Learn more:

    Estimating the local spatio‐temporal distribution of malaria from routine health information systems in areas of low health care access and reporting, Hyde, E, et al., 2021, International Journal of Health Geographics

    Reconciling model predictions with low reported cases of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Madagascar, Evans, M.V., et al., 2020, Global Health Action

  • GIS (geographical)

    We use a participatory approach to map over 20,000 kilometers of footpaths and 100,000 structures. These data have been combined with high resolution data on land cover, a digital elevation model, rainfall data, and geolocated data from the IHOPE cohort (see above). These data are used to determine travel times to health care, measure geographic equity, and study geospatial determinants of disease. Accessibility modeling results are available on an e-health platform developed with R Shiny.

  • IHOPE (household-level longitudinal cohort)

    The Ifanadiana Health Outcomes and Prosperity longitudinal Evaluation (IHOPE) cohort was established in 2014 at the start of Pivot’s work in Ifanadiana District. Modeled after Demographic and Health Surveys, it tracks standard international health, demographic, and socioeconomic indicators. IHOPE has the following combination of characteristics that are novel for localized interventions:

    • True baseline
    • True representative sample
    • Sample from inside and outside of the initial catchment population
    • Collection by third party professionals at the National Institute of Statistics who collect identical data nationally
    • Tracks same individuals over time
    • Includes biomarkers such as dried blood spots used for molecular analyses

     

    Learn more: 

    Baseline Population Health Conditions Ahead of a Health System Strengthening Program in Rural Madagascar, Miller, A., et al. 2017, Global Health Action

  • HMIS and Routine M&E

    Health management information systems (HMIS) collect information on health system utilization and care provision at public sector facilities. These data are combined with additional, routine monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data to track over 1000 indicators of health system performance in Ifanadiana District, including rates of treatment and service utilization, quality of care, supply stock-outs, and human resource capacity at every level. These data are accessible via a real-time dashboard.

  • Capacity-Building

    The purpose of Pivot Science is to improve health outcomes over the long-term. Central to this goal is a new capacity building program, which focuses on both increasing research skills among clinicians/implementers, as well as helping researchers better understand and inform clinical priorities. The training includes a series of workshops on understanding clinical priorities, developing research questions, methodology, and dissemination. Trainees include a range of personnel who work within Madagascar’s health sector.

  • COVID-19 and Molecular Diagnostics

    The majority of deaths in Madagascar are due to infectious diseases and most cases go undiagnosed. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to implement new diagnostic assays in rural health districts. Pivot has partnered with the Ministry of Public Health and Centre ValBio to develop the first molecular diagnostics laboratory for COVID-19 outside of the capital city, which provides both diagnostic capacity as well as a platform for scientific innovation at the intersection of biomedicine and planetary health.

     

    Learn more: 

    Integrating Health Systems and Science to Respond to COVID-19 in a Model District of Madagascar, Rakotonanahary, R.J.L., et al., 2021, Frontiers in Public Health

    Reconciling model predictions with low reported cases of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Madagascar, Evans, M.V., et al., 2020, Global Health Action

  • Eco-Epidemiology & Surveillance

    There have been major advances in the science of infectious disease dynamics. But there is inadequate application of these advances at local scales to inform health interventions. We combine environmental information, spatially granular health system data, and population surveys, with mathematical models to understand and forecast local disease dynamics (such as malaria, measles, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis and diarrheal disease) to improve service delivery. 

     

    Learn more:

    Estimating the local spatio‐temporal distribution of malaria from routine health information systems in areas of low health care access and reporting, Hyde, E, et al., 2021, International Journal of Health Geographics

    Reconciling model predictions with low reported cases of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Madagascar, Evans, M.V., et al., 2020, Global Health Action

    Towards elimination of lymphatic filariasis in southeastern Madagascar: Successes and challenges for interrupting transmission, Garchitorena, A., et al., 2018, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

  • Operational Research for UHC

    Operational research provides insights into how programs are implemented with an emphasis on quality and fidelity to organizational, national, and international standards. Our operational research priority areas include UHC financing, health care quality, patient satisfaction, and health worker performance. This is a high priority area for growth across clinical and data teams at Pivot. 

     

    Learn more:

    Evaluation of a novel approach to community health care delivery in Ifanadiana District, Madagascar, Razafinjato, B., et al., 2020, medRxiv

    Rapid response to a measles outbreak in Ifanadiana District, Madagascar, Finnegan, K.E., et al., 2020 medRxiv

    Networks of Care in Rural Madagascar for Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Ifanadiana District, Cordier, L.F., 2020, Health Systems & Reform

    In Madagascar, Use Of Health Care Services Increased When Fees Were Removed: Lessons For Universal Health Coverage, Garchitorena, A., et al., 2017, Health Affairs

  • Geography & Community Health

    We are advancing new methods that combine granular health system data with a massive GIS dataset containing over 100,000 structures and 15,000 miles of footpaths in the district. This is used to identify geographic barriers and improve the design of the health system to reach everyone. To overcome geographic barriers, we have piloted a model of proactive community health for Madagascar, and are evaluating its impact and feasibility.

     

    Learn more:

    Estimating the local spatio‐temporal distribution of malaria from routine health information systems in areas of low health care access and reporting, Hyde, E, et al., 2021, International Journal of Health Geographics

    Improving geographical accessibility modeling for operational use by local health actors, Ihantamalala, F.A, et al., 2020, International Journal of Health Geographics

    Evaluation of a novel approach to community health care delivery in Ifanadiana District, Madagascar, Razafinjato, B., et al., 2020, medRxiv

  • Population-Level Impact Evaluation

    We measure the impact of our work through the analysis of a district-representative longitudinal cohort. Our quasi-experimental design allows for some of the most rigorously evaluated analysis of health systems change on population health in Africa. These analyses show improvements in nearly every major health indicator, including infant mortality, under-five mortality, vaccine coverage, access to and quality of health care services, and health equity.

     

    Learn more:

    District-level health system strengthening for universal health coverage: evidence from a longitudinal cohort study in rural Madagascar, 2014-2018, Garchitorena, A., et al. 2020, BMJ Global Health

    Early changes in intervention coverage and mortality rates following the implementation of an integrated health system intervention in Madagascar, Garchitorena, A., et al. 2018, BMJ Global Health

    Assessing trends in the content of maternal and child care following a health system strengthening initiative in rural Madagascar: A longitudinal cohort study, Ezran, C., et al. 2019, PLOS Medicine

    Baseline Population Health Conditions Ahead of a Health System Strengthening Program in Rural Madagascar, Miller, A., et al. 2017, Global Health Action

  • Data Systems

    PIVOT is fully integrated with Madagascar’s Health Management information System. By combining many kinds of data – outcomes, programmatic, geographic and more – we gain insights to inform our approaches in an ongoing improvement cycle.

  • Quality of Care

    Care is of no use to our patients’ health unless it is high-quality. We focus on bringing the best possible care to all levels of the health system, whether offered at a patient’s doorstep, at health centers, or at the hospital.

  • Supply Chain & Equipment

    Constant collaboration and integration with Madagascar’s national supply chain helps maintain adequate stocks of more than 40 essential medicines and supplies across all levels of care while steadily closing the gaps on stockout rates and saving lives.

  • Finance

    PIVOT is working with the government’s National Health Solidarity Fund to create a transparent system for patients, providers, donors, and government officials, building on success in removing financial barriers to care through patient reimbursements.

  • HR & Recruitment

    Skilled, well trained and compassionate people are the most vital components of any health system. To meet the unusual challenge of a setting where posting may be truly remote, PIVOT teamed up with the Ministry of Public Health to design and implement a joint recruitment and retention strategy.

  • Infrastructure

    A public health system needs dignified and durable spaces – a difficult task in a mountainous rainforest environment. The district’s most remote facilities are a priority, where partnership with local communities and contractors ensure that rehabilitated spaces are maintained over time.

  • Emergency Transport

    74% of the people in Ifanadiana District live more than a 5-kilometer walk to the nearest health center. Our district-wide public ambulance referral system is the only one of its kind in Madagascar, operating 24/7 since 2014 to bring urgent cases in for treatment at no cost to the patient.

  • Patient Accompaniment

    PIVOT accompagnateurs welcome people into a system that may be unfamiliar. They explain the process, assist in navigating the system,address the need for food and lodging when needed, and check on the kids back home. This service, along with the improved availability and quality of care, has helped quadruple the use of outpatient health services in Pivot’s catchment area.

  • Maternal Health

    Our programs successfully address high rates of maternal deaths among the women in Ifanadiana District, who give birth an average of seven times during their reproductive lifetime, with four in every five deliveries occurring at home. In the first two years of fully supported obstetric services, access to family planning, and facility-based deliveries, the maternal mortality rate dropped by 20%.

  • Malnutrition

    More than half of the children under 5 in Madagascar are chronically malnourished. We are piloting a national program in Ifanadiana District that combines screening, treatment, and prevention across all levels of the health system to address this major cause of child mortality.

  • Tuberculosis

    TB is so prevalent in Madagascar that there are an estimated 500 new cases in our district every year, most undetected and untreated. In partnership with the National Tuberculosis Program,  we launched a program to control TB in 2017 to upgrade basic resources and capacity, and to ensure that diagnosis and treatment are available in Ifanadiana District.

  • Child Health

    Children under 5 are those most likely to die from preventable causes like malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea. We implement protocols for the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness to guide health workers in diagnosis and treatment and to assess nutrition and vaccine status in low-resource settings.