Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign

Introduction

According to research conducted by the Joint United Nation program and world health organization on communicable diseases in 1999, it was estimated that 35 million individuals live with HIV/AIDS in the world. In the whole population of individuals living with the virus were found to be in developing nations. The population in the areas provided an insight into the demographics provided the economic effects of the epidemics, modes of exposure, and prevention and treatment of the global epidemic. The epidemic has made many individuals, families, and communities to be in devastated states psychologically emotionally and economic. It has led to the disruption of community life, left millions of children orphaned, and increased decline in economic growth and civic order (Alleyne et al 2013).

Africa is the first leading continent with the highest population when it comes to the view of HIV/AIDS effects pandemics. When compared with other regions of the world, this region has the highest number of infection; it is the one with the lowest economic stability and has the least access to health facilities. 70% of HIV/AIDS individuals are found in the region and 83% of the deaths as a result of the virus are also in this region (Alleyne et al 2013). Most cases are reported to be acquired through transgender sex.  Infections through parental transmission and blood transfusions from mother to children are also among the primary causes of HIV spread in the continent. Among the AIDS patients in the region, Tuberculosis is the most common infection that is found with patients in this region. The major contribution to the spread of the virus in the region is high prevalence of STD, facility transmission, the unequal status of women, low rate of male circumcisions, poverty, migration, and socials mixing patterns that differ according to countries

Advocacy Campaigns Found in the Area

International organizations such as the World Bank and WHO and some nongovernmental organizations have continued efforts in strengthening both national and international surveillance and response system for communicable diseases (Bloom et al., 2012).  Due to the growing sense that health is linked to social economic developments, the World Bank has expanded its bank activities. Over that past decade, a survey conducted indicated that the most significant change in the world health sector has been attributed to both the growth of intellectual and financial influence of the World Bank. Health experts have appreciated the bank’s efforts and involvement due to the view of it being responsive and efficient in areas such as health sector reforms. The US has also played a significant part in the effort of fighting the communicable diseases through provision of bilateral assistance through different organizations like USAID, NIH and defense department overseas laboratories.

Attributes That Made the Campaign Effective

The improved economy in the developing nations and rising incomes have led to reduced poverty and provision of funds for the improvement of health care facilities hence reducing and facilitating the provision of services. There has also been an improvement in health care delivery as from WHO in parental care for women, availability of essential drugs and child and adult immunization. There has also been an increase in the provision of parental care hence creating an effective birth control. This has led to an improvement in the economy as well as social lives among individuals. Child mortality has also reduced as a result of immunization efforts that are well managed in most regions (Bloom et al., 2012).

Medical advancement in this regions has also created an optimistic scenario where some disease are almost being eliminated polio and leprosy among many other as vaccination rate in this region is improving. Research conducted in the developing nations has also resulted in the development of more safer, effective and less expensive vaccination. . They have continued the effort in the provision of safe food and water, improved literacy, and better nutrition so as to reduce adult and infant mortality rates within the population. Medical advancement in this regions has also created an optimistic scenario where some disease are almost being eliminated polio and leprosy among many other as vaccination rate in this region is improving. Research conducted in the developing nations has also resulted in the development of safer, effective and less expensive vaccination (Beaglehole et al., 2011).

Campaign for Health Care Advocacy

Community empowerment is among one of the most effective, efficient, cost saving and equitable approach to promoting wellness in the developing nations. Creating community empowerment effort as a collaborative initiative with the community to understand the cultural behaviors and beliefs and then educating them about the diseases would act as an effective way of reducing their effects. A good example is a way individual in Papua New Guinea empowered community members to take initiatives for their distribution, procurement and effective use of bed net in their village (Alleyne et al 2013).

Another mechanism would be, strengthening of the health system. This is done through the integration of controlling the different ways through which malaria spread and individual protection in the health system through innovation linkages to ongoing campaigns and programs hence leading to strong economic, synergies and the strengthening of a more rapid health system with a comparison to new programs. An example of successful implementation of the program is piggybacking the distribution of ITNs via immunization campaign or antenatal care for polio and measles. A partnership is also a key solution in the control of communicable diseases. Bilateral organizations have played a significant role in vector control measure for communicable diseases in most parts of the world (Bloom et al., 2012).