Subject: IHD Monthly Update – September 2013
From: Diana Silimperi <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 17:30:23 +0000

Dear IHD Colleagues!

This is the second in a series of monthly email messages to update you on IHD activities and events.  Please continue to give us your feedback as we continue to improve internal communications.

Abt’s Fall Development and Dissemination (D&D) Grants Awarded

Congratulations to IHD Mini D&D Grants recipients! Seven full D&D grants and four mini-D&D grants were awarded in Abt’s fall D&D competition for journal article creation.  Two D&D funding cycles are available each year with applications due in February and August. Fall IHD winners include:

·         Sophie Faye,  “Health Expenditures on Drugs and Consultation in Senegal”

·         Ekechi Okereke, “Bridging Human Resources for Health Gaps by Applying Clinical Mentoring in Selected Health Facilities”

·         Kylie Ingerson, “PEPFAR Transitions”

Additional information on D&D grants at: http://blogs.cam.abtassoc.com/Jacob/?page_id=5977.

Vietnam and Mali Projects Showcase Successes – Three projects recently held high-profile end-of-project events.

·         Mali Assistance Technique Plus. On July 23, ATN Plus highlighted five years (2008-2013) of work supporting the Ministry of Health in Mali increase access to and quality of maternal and child health services, while strengthening the health system in Mali and changing health seeking behaviors.  DHS indicates that during the life of the project under-five child mortality declined from 191 to 98 per 1000 live births and modern contraceptive prevalence increased from 7% in 2006 to 10% in 2012. Malian newspapers and local television stations featured coverage of the event attended by 130 community members including USAID Mission Director Gary Juste and MOH and WHO representatives. See videos on project work. Contacts:  [email-masked] or [email-masked]

·         Avian and Pandemic Influenza Initiative in Vietnam. On August 6, APII (2009-2013) showcased work accomplished supporting the government of Vietnam and its partners in identifying and controlling zoonotic disease – specifically H5N1 or bird flu – in Vietnam.  The project developed infection control training for health care facilities for departments of health and training facilities in all 63 provinces and trained 150 expert BCC trainers to implement and monitor provincial BCC programs in the future.  News articles appeared in various Vietnamese print and online venues. See video on project work. Contacts: [email-masked] or [email-masked]

·         Health Policy Initiative in Vietnam. On August 14, USAID/HPI featured work carried out during the past five years with government, civil society, and other key partners to more effectively engage in policy dialogue and advocate for better services for people at risk or living with HIV.  The project contributed to 13 new and revised legal and policy documents related to HIV and AIDS that brought about positive changes; for example, USAID/HPI's advocacy  led to the government’s decision to close down detention centers for sex workers. Vietnam is also moving towards a voluntary, community-based treatment of drug users, and is expanding innovative condom programs for HIV prevention for sex workers and their clients.  See the end-of-project presentation video. Contacts:  [email-masked] or [email-masked]

Save the Dates - Global IHD Staff Meeting and IHD Town Hall

Mark your calendar for our next Global IHD Staff Meeting on October 31. This quarterly gathering provides an opportunity for all IHD staff to come together to hear Division updates, ask questions, and learn more about highlighted projects. Our first IHD Town Hall Brownbag for US staff takes place September 18 – more information to follow.

Today I Learned

What have you learned today? Tell us on AGI’s Today I Learned, a place where you can share with your colleagues and all of Abt about what you have learned recently through your project or over time. It’s easy to contribute – just click on the Share an Insight button on the Today I Learned box on AGI and go from there. You can write a couple of sentences or up to 200 words.
https://abtassoc.sharepoint.com/Pages/Home.aspx

September Events

Sep 12 – Mali ATN presentation ([email-masked])

Sep 13 – TWG Service Delivery and Quality Improvement presentation ([email-masked])

Sep 18 – IHD Division Town Hall Brownbag

Sep 20 – Saving Money, Saving Lives: An Inquiry into a Micro-Savings Maternity Product in Kenya ([email-masked])

Sep 25 – TWG Health Financing and Economics presentation ([email-masked])

Sep 26 – IHD Happy Hour, Bethesda, details forthcoming

Sep 26 – IHD Leadership Lunch

Best,
Diana

(sent to ALL IHD)