Promising Practices

Developing Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Strategies to Reduce Neglected Infectious Diseases

Reducing Prevalence of Trachoma, STH, and Ectoparasitosis in the Indigenous Communities of River Cubiyú, Vaupés, Colombia

  • Engage a diverse group of stakeholders early, including the community.
  • Use a secure health information management system to improve real-time monitoring.
  • Involve community leaders throughout the microplanning process to ground activities in the socio-cultural context.
  • Validate beliefs and ways of life of the community during planning.
  • Develop a logical framework and action plan, in collaboration with stakeholders, to guide campaign actions and decisions.
  • Develop an integrated microplanning strategy based on the situational analysis.
  • Make campaign decisions in a participatory manner with health and indigenous community leaders.

Photo Credit: University of the Andes

“When working on these neglected diseases, first, we must be able to make the disease visible as a problem, and second, [we must demonstrate] the importance of the intervention as a significant social gain, not for the people in the central areas of the country, [but] for those small groups that are seriously affected.” - Hollman Miller, Vector-Borne Diseases Coordinator, Health Secretariat, Vaupés Department


TOP