Principles and process of Community empowermment: A strategy for Health Development in under - served communities

Principles in any profession stem from a body of professional practice; ethics and experience. To appreciate principles of community empowerment; one needs to review the history that led to its establishment. This article therefore; starts with a historical background of health care globally and locally in order to appreciate why community empowerment is considered the most effective strategy to health development especially for the disadvantaged communities

The study of factors that influence nursing care at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital; Blantyre; Malawi

The study set out to identify factors that influence nursing care at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre. Data were collected July and September 1988. A total of 313 nurses; patients and guardians were interviewed and supplementary data was provided by hospital records. The main finding was that nursing care was sub-standard due to several factors; the most important of which were poor promotional prospects; poor working atmosphere; increasing workload and inadequate facilities necessary for provision of appropriate nursing care

A KAPB study to establish baseline data in targeted groups of selected districts of Malawi; for future HIV prevention campaigns: survey report [Draft]

This study finds that progress has been noted as to the degree in which AIDS is seen as a serious health problem; as to the awareness of the danger of sex with multiple partners and as to the possibility of avoiding AIDS. Furthermore; the use of condoms as a possible protection seems to be better accepted in the public than it was a year ago. The main trends of the findings show: a general awareness of HIV/AIDS and risk awareness; a preference for specific health educatioon methods such as radio; health talks and discussion among friends and partners; a general acceptance of condoms as protective barriers and a need for distribution and adjustment of guidelines for condom use

Information; education and communication messages and materials: survey report

The main objective of the survey was to take an inventory of all IEC materials and messages currently in use throughout the country. The findings showed that: a) knowledge of health workers and their clients on key messages in most critical programme areas was low; b) some peripheral units were underserved in the supply of IEC materials; c) most units experienced storage problems for IEC materials; and d) most health workers lacked basic skills in effective use of IEC materials

Strengthening of the IEC and social mobilisation unit of the Ministry of Health

Included in this document are proposed staffing levels for the Central; Regional and District IEC Units projected to 1985. Included also; are the job descriptions of the proposed technical staff. The document has attempted to present an overall picture of the IEC services in the context of the Ministry of Health's overall health delivery system. The document is not comprehensive; but does provide a framework on which to base plans and ideas to strengthen the IEC services in Malawi

Epidemiology training manual for health personnel

This manual is intended to assist health centre personnel to appreciate the use of information in order to improve health services at their level. To improve the health of the community it is essential to understand why diseases arise and to do this it is necessary to study the distribution and determinants of disease in the population. The manual is designed into seven modules which can be used independently as need arises