With thanks to James O'Donovan and Community Health Impact Coalition
Lessons from the roll out of Integrated Community Case Management 'Plus' (ICCM+) - Delivery System for Scale Case Study: Somalia.
Geographical region: Somalia
Study aims: New World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema in infants and children under 5 years suggest moderately wasted children can be managed by CHWs in the community. This case study looks into recent and on-going CHW-led acute malnutrition treatment based Save the Children experience delivering ICCM+ in Somalia from 2022-2023.
Methods: Case study
Key messages:
• proCHW recommendation are central to iCCM+ success. Continual supervision and support improve CHW effectiveness in treatment administration and tool use. Reimbursing CHWs for water-related expenses promotes better WASH practices.
• Community involvement is key. Implementing communication campaigns targeting community leaders and members enhances understanding and proper use of ready-to-use therapeutic food. The presence of dedicated project and field managers ensures smooth program operation and effective monitoring of CHW activities.
• Involving social influencers and incorporating WASH messaging into training curricula for CHWs leads to more inclusive community education and greater adoption of health practices.
Implications:
• Implementing the iCCM+ program in regions with high malnutrition rates and existing ICCM infrastructure is cost-effective, enhances treatment access, and reduces the need for new CHW training.
• Revising the remuneration strategy for CHWs to ensure sustainability and adequate incentivization, coupled with the construction of dedicated areas for assessment and treatment, will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the iCCM+ intervention.
Read the full study here
https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/lessons-roll-out-integrated-communi...
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org
