International Community Health Network
- MONTHLY -
March 22 is World Water Day
Poster Credit: UN WATER
This year's World Water Day, 'Nature for Water', calls for the exploration of nature-based solutions to the water challenges in the 21st century.

Learn more at www.worldwaterday.org .
March 2018
Welcome to the monthly e-newsletter of the
International Community Health Network!
Sharing the latest news and resources from CORE Group , our membership , and the broader global health community.

Submit items for the April 2018 edition here .
CORE Group Announcements
Join us at the 2018 International SBCC Summit on April 16-20!
We are excited to be at next month's 2018 International SBCC Summit in Bali, Indonesia. If you are attending the summit, come visit us at Exhibition Booth #8 to learn more about CORE Group and our work in advancing community health worldwide.

Visit the summit website here: www.sbccsummit.org.
Register Now: June 2018 Global Health Practitioner Conference
Early registration is now open for the next Global Health Practitioner Conference, to be held on June 4 - 7, 2018 in Bethesda, MD, USA. The conference will focus on community health action for the humanitarian-development nexus.

Submit your Poster Presentation for the June 2018 Global Health Practitioner Conference
CORE Group will host a poster session on Tuesday, June 5th from 5:30pm-7:00pm. CORE Group is currently accepting posters with an academic or professional focus, program results, research information, peer-reviewed work, etc. The poster presenter will stay for the entirety of the session and present to various groups of participants.


Deadline for submissions is March 30, 2018.
We're Hiring - Join Our Team!
Global Engagement Updates
WHO's PMNCH Partners' Forum
  • CORE Group Executive Director, Lisa Hilmi, is a co-chair for the Program Committee for WHO's PMNCH Partners' Forum to be held in New Delhi, India in December. This important forum will enhance momentum for the country implementation of the EWEC Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents Health (2016-2030) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals more broadly. The Partners' Forum will welcome up to 1,200 partners to improve knowledge, alignment and accountability to accelerate action on women's, children's and adolescents' health.

Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria
  • CORE Group and its members worked closely with WHO's Risk Communication section colleagues for the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria this month to review protocols and communication with the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, CDC, and other stakeholders.

#NursingNow
  • IntraHealth, WHO and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, organized the US launch of the Nursing Now campaign in late February in Chapel Hill, NC. CORE Group looks forward to participating in and promoting this initiative over the next 3 years that is focused on the results from the Triple Impact report. Nurses are at the heart of most health teams, playing a crucial role in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment. As the health professionals who are closest to the community, they have a particular role in developing new models of community-based care and support local efforts to promote health and prevent disease. Learn more here.
Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Meetings
The co-chairs of the newly formed Disability Inclusive Health TAG, Alessandra Aresu from Humanity and Inclusion and Leia Isanhart from Catholic Relief Services, will announce the first meeting in the next month.

The goals of the TAG are:
  1. Raise global health actors' awareness on disability inclusive health and rehabilitation
  2. Organizational collaboration for community health program learning
  3. Increased collaboration for technical advocacy for disability inclusive health policies and resources

CORE Group looks forward to having an inclusive health agenda for all aspects of the organization and our collaboration with our partners.
Member Updates
Malaria Consortium
  • Malaria Consortium recently released a new film that highlights how the integrated community case management (iCCM) approach can be used to improve maternal and child health in rural communities in Uganda. The film explores the innovative aspects of the Comic Relief-funded iCCM MaCS project and makes the case for scaling it up, both across Uganda and to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with similar contexts.

International Rescue Committee
  • The International Rescue Committee is excited to share a new resource documenting their experience expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care to adolescents in Goma, DRC. The report "She knows best: Engaging girls in adolescent programming" highlights the approach developed to address foundational facility and community-level barriers that prevent adolescents from accessing and receiving quality SRH services.
New Resources
K4Health
The Knowledge Management Collection is a family of resources designed for global health professionals to help them understand, use, and train others on knowledge management approaches, tools, and techniques. The collection includes: (1) Knowledge Management Roadmap; (2) Knowledge Management Pocket Guide for Global Health Programs; (3) Building Better Programs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Knowledge Management in Global Health; and (4) Knowledge Management Training Package for Global Health Programs
UN Water
The global demand for water has been increasing at a rate of about 1% per year over the past decades as a function of population growth, economic development and changing consumption patterns, among other factors, and it will continue to grow significantly over the foreseeable future. Industrial and domestic demand for water will increase much faster than agricultural demand, although agriculture will remain the largest user overall. The vast majority of the growth in demand for water will occur in countries with developing or emerging economies. At the same time, the global water cycle is intensifying due to climate change, with wetter regions generally becoming wetter and drier regions becoming even drier. The report demonstrates nature-based solutions (NBS) offer a vital means of moving beyond business-as-usual to address many of the world's water challenges while simultaneously delivering additional benefits vital to all aspects of sustainable development.
World Health Organization
These new guidelines supersede previous WHO policy documents on the management of LTBI in people living with HIV, household contacts of people with active TB, other groups at risk of developing TB, and for LTBI testing. The consolidated guidelines are expected to provide the basis and rationale for the development of national and local epidemiology of TB, the availability of resources, the health infrastructure and other national and local determinants. The guidelines are to be used primarily in national TB and HIV control programs, or their equivalents in ministries of health, and for other policymakers working on TB and HIV and infectious diseases. They are also appropriate for officials in other line ministries with work in the areas of health.
International Rescue Committee
Based on years of discussions with service providers from health and protection sectors, this resource aims to break down some of the persistent myths concerning female virginity and establish provider responsibilities around virginity testing. The information provided is based on existing literature and international recommendations.
SIAPS Program
The USAID-funded Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program has released a new collection of case studies that document the lasting effect of interventions on the people, processes, and structures that comprise a pharmaceutical system and include actionable lessons and recommendations. Among the case studies profiled:
  • a set of interventions, referred to as Auditable Pharmaceutical Transactions and Services (APTS), that contribute to a continuous supply of essential medicines in Ethiopia
  • a cloud-based mobile supply chain platform to help ensure vaccine availability at last-mile health centers in India
  • a benefit fund in Zhuhai, People's Republic of China, to promote access to primary care
  • a public-private partnership establishing a prime vendor system for public health facilities in Tanzania
  • a system strengthening approach to contraceptive security in Bangladesh
SPRING Project
This video highlights learning and experience from SPRING's diverse community media portfolio through four key principles with examples of each principle in action, using various types of community media approaches currently being applied by SPRING in different contexts, including India, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Ghana, and Uganda.
International Rescue Committee
This resource documents IRC's experience expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care to adolescents in Goma, DRC. The report highlights the approach developed to address foundational facility and community-level barriers that prevent adolescents from accessing and receiving quality SRH services.
Featured Opportunities
Deadline for Applications: March 31, 2018 | GLI Secretariat, Global TB Program, World Health Organization
The GLI Secretariat is pleased to announce a call for applications for new members of the GLI Core Group for the 2018-2020 term. The GLI Core Group consists of individuals with expertise in multiple disciplines from different constituencies, stakeholders, and institutions involved in global and country-level strengthening of TB laboratory systems. Representation on the Core Group is sought from high TB burden countries, technical partners, scientific and academic institutions, funding agencies and civil society.
Deadline for Applications: April 13, 2018 | SPOON
SPOON is offering a 13-month volunteer fellowship based in Lusaka, Zambia for a highly motivated recent graduate in pursuit of a career in international development or global health. The Fellow will be the sole representative of SPOON in Zambia, responsible for a variety of program-related tasks. The Fellow will have the opportunity to contribute significantly to an international project that supports improvements in the health and wellbeing of children with disabilities and those living outside of permanent family care, and to gain valuable experience in project management, relationship - and partnership-building, and monitoring and evaluation.
Deadline for Applications: April 30, 2018 | USAID
Roughly one-quarter of the world's population is made up of young people. Investing in adolescents results in stronger, more resilient communities and is critical to achieving positive demographic, economic and health outcomes around the globe. However, young people often face barriers in accessing accurate, reliable health information. To address these challenges, USAID seeks unique solutions to provide health information and support for healthy behaviors in a way that is accessible to adolescents.
June 11-22, 2018 | McGill University Global Health Programs
Deadline: May 1, 2018 (February 28 for applicants who require a visa to travel to Canada)
The McGill Summer Institute features internationally known faculty, a focus on highly applicable new knowledge, and an opportunity to network with fellow global health professionals from around the world. The unique format of short non-credit professional development courses attracts a diverse group of participants, from industry leaders to NGO's, academics and researchers, and advocacy group members.
Deadline for Submissions: July 15, 2018 | Bulletin of the World Health Organization
The Bulletin of the World Health Organization will publish a theme issue on noncommunicable diseases. Since much is known of the clinical interventions in managing these conditions, this theme issue will be focusing on the political economy and experiences in addressing the commercial drivers of noncommunicable diseases and the impact of international trade on government policy on these diseases. The commercial drivers are a significant challenge that requires better evidence, multisectoral actions and citizens' involvement. The Bulletin welcomes all papers that address the industries' interference in public policies and the gaps between policy and implementation of population-based best-buy interventions that address modifiable behavioral risk factors.
Recent & Upcoming Events
RECENT EVENTS
February 13 - 15, 2018 | New Delhi, India | IBP Initiative
Jointly organized by the IBP Secretariat, Jhpiego and IPPF, the meeting convened over 125 FP/RH professionals and young people from a wide range of organizations to share experiences and best practices around expanding the contraceptive method mix, engaging youth, and scaling up. The meeting included an interactive Knowledge Cafe and WHO launched the updated FP Handbook. In addition, IBP and FP2020 joined efforts to host a dedicated session for civil society organizations working in India.
February 20, 2018 | Online | CORE Group SBC Working Group in collaboration with the FSN Network SBC Task Force
Are we forgetting the role of socio-cognitive systems and communities in behavior change? The paper discusses a systems approach for community-centric design that details the interplay between biomedical and traditional socio-cognitive systems, as well as between "Western" and "Eastern" worldviews. The authors suggest that only by understanding the interplay between these can sustainable behavioral change interventions be designed. The authors applied the community-centric design approach to an intervention aimed at reducing neonatal mortality in Uttar Pradesh, India. Over the course of 16 months, their intervention led to a 54% reduction in NMR as well as unanticipated improvements in maternal health. Following a brief presentation of the journal article, this webinar encouraged an open exchange of ideas on the feasibility of implementing this approach in behavior change programs as well as the extent to which it has been successfully implemented to date.
February 21, 2018 | Online | Plan International, Advancing Synergy, and NCD Child
The webinar featured three presentations about NCDs prevention, in the context of the SDGs and young people's health and outcomes of the recent Global NCD Forum, with a focus on the roadmap to the UN High Level Meeting on NCDs.
February 22 - 23, 2018 | Kampala, Uganda | Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum (UYAHF)
The UYAHF held a two-day capacity building workshop for SRHR Youth Networks on SMART advocacy and effective coordination using the PMNCH advocating for Change for Adolescent Health Toolkit. The capacity building workshop, attended by 33 participants from five major SRHR Youth Networks in Uganda, aimed at strengthening evidence based SMART advocacy and coordination capacity of youth networks to meaningfully advocate for policy shifts in adolescents' sexual and reproductive health and rights.
March 15, 2018 | Online | CORE Group's Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health Working Group
This CORE Group webinar highlighted the outcomes from recent global health meetings - International Association for Adolescent Health Congress and the Global NCDs Forum. For those who were not able to attend these meetings, presenters reviewed key takeaways and encouraged a discussion of actions and thoughts moving forward.
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 24, 2018
March 27 | Arlington, VA and Online | Health Finance and Governance Project
Join the Health Finance and Governance Project for a discussion on health financing strategies. Expert panelists and attendees will address: (1) the evolution and key elements of health financing strategies; (2) why health financing is vital as countries transition to self-reliance, with examples from Africa and Asia; and (3) the role of donors and partners in health financing strategies.

This event is part of the Advances in Health Finance and Governance series, which is highlighting learning and lessons from the HFG Project's work over five years in nearly 40 countries.
March 27 | Washington, DC and Online | IntraHealth International, mPowering Frontline Health Workers, and University of Zambia
After formalizing a community health assistant (CHA) cadre to provide primary care at household level, Zambia's Ministry of Health realized the challenges that nurses were facing in leading an ever growing and complex team of CHAs, community based volunteers, environmental health technicians, and community committees to achieve quality care. These nurses had potential to harness the best of all contributors to expand access to quality services - but they needed some support. Zambia, at the same time, really needed the nurses to leverage community investments and integrate the multiple community initiatives to advance primary health care and UHC.

Attend in-person or online to hear from some of the Zambians who led the program development and to learn how partners worked together to advance nurses, strengthen frontline teams, and develop a national CPD program to achieve SDG #3 and UHC.
March 28 | Online | World Vision WASH Community of Practice
The theme for World Water Day (March 22) is Nature for Water, focusing on nature-based solutions to current water challenges. In honor of World Water Day, join World Vision's WASH Community of Practice for a webinar focusing on nature-based solutions to WASH issues, with a particular emphasis on conservation.
March 29 | Online | SPRING Project
Today's world faces a double burden of malnutrition, with almost three billion people either undernourished, overweight, or obese (FAO 2013). The causes of this growing crisis are numerous and multi-faceted. Recognizing the need for action, USAID's Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy (2014-2025) and the Local Systems: A Framework for Supporting Sustained Development emphasize the multi-sectoral causes of malnutrition, the need for multi-sectoral solutions, and the benefit of using systems thinking to strengthen design, implementation, and measurement. Despite growing recognition of the need for systems thinking, little guidance exists to help countries, USAID missions, and implementing agencies incorporate this approach into nutrition program design and implementation.

Join SPRING for a webinar to learn more about systems thinking for nutrition. They will highlight its relevance and applicability to real world programming in the Kyrgyz Republic and discuss how systems thinking is being promoted in the design and implementation of nutrition programs.
April 14 - 15, 2018 | Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut | Unite for Sight
GHIC is a must-attend event that convenes more than 2,000 professionals and
students who are interested in all aspects of health, development, and social entrepreneurship.
April 16 - 20, 2018 | Nusa Dua, Indonesia | Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, The Communication Initiative, Soul City Institute, UNICEF and BBC Media Action
The summit is organized to better understand what works in shifting social norms, changing behaviors and in amplifying the voice of those who have most at stake in the success of development efforts. It is designed to wrestle with the profound issues of social justice and agenda setting that affect these decisions. Visit CORE Group's Expo Table at Booth #8!
April 26, 2018 | Arlington, VA and Online |Health Finance and Governance Project
Expanding coverage through health insurance is a key component of health equity in a country - see how HFG has been helping countries move toward UHC by strengthening national health insurance schemes, scaling up community-based health insurance (CBHI), covering the informal sector, and incorporating priority services into health benefits plans.

This event is part of the Advances in Health Finance and Governance series, which is highlighting learning and lessons from the HFG Project's work over five years in nearly 40 countries.
Food Association for Nutrition Evidence Summit
June 27 - 28, 2018 | Washington, DC |Food Aid Quality Review, Tufts University
The Food Assistance for Nutrition Evidence Summit will synthesize the current state of research on food assistance for nutrition, facilitate dialogue on key policy and program-relevant findings, and identify priority domains for future research. The summit will bring together researchers, policymakers, implementing partners, donors, and industry.

Find more upcoming global health events and submit your own:
News & Articles












Five myths about outbreaks, The Washington Post

Submit items for the April 2018 edition of this e-newsletter here .
Did someone share this email with you?
Subscribe now to receive future e-newsletters.