A case study of community leadership in the resolution of health problems

Context :

The social environment not only influences lifestyles and behaviours but can also influence the incidence of disease. As such, the Public Health Association of Congo-Brazzaville (ACSPC) initiated a process of building community leadership (ownership) in order to help resolve community health challenges. This has been initiated by ACSPC in eight impoverished neighbourhoods of the District III, Tié-Tié in Pointe-Noire.

Presentation objective:

This presentation focuses on the issue of ownership by communities to address health problems and issues through community development

Methods/Strategies:

An overview of methods and strategies used includes:

• Development of a community diagnostic completed through a community consultation workshop;
• Building awareness of community development approaches in the community;
• Supporting the creation of local health committees;
• Strengthening the power to act by offering trainings in IEC, advocacy, project development and management;
• Face to face meetings to advocate in favour of a greater implication for municipal authorities in the management of domestic waste;
• Implementing a domestic waste removal program.

Results:

The above actions have resulted in:

• The implication and engagement of the communities in local project activities;
• The involvement of municipal authorities in the removal of domestic waste;
• An appropriation of the process by the NDAKA-SOUSSOU health committee in the neighbourhood 306 of Tié-Tié;
• Membership of over 3,900 households in the domestic waste collection program.

Conclusions:

The ownership by communities to resolve their health problems/issues is a critical element on the road towards empowerment and sustainability of the health interventions. This approach can be applied to all levels of intervention.

Lessons Learned:

The process of community development is very long and necessitates the engagement of actors in all sectors. The strengthening of community competencies is one of the essential steps towards achieving concrete results.