Ahead of our Special Event to celebrate World Immunization Week on 8 May 2023, we are pleased to share two key articles honoring Leaders of the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030)

Reflections by award-winning photographer Chris de Bode, Fellow of the Geneva Learning Foundation, about the significance of first-person visual storytelling by frontline immunization staff
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/reflections-chris-de-bode-takes-people-make/?trackingId=TPCjcurcWn2%2F%2F5%2F9vXPf4w%3D%3D

1,000 photos to show that it takes people to make #VaccinesWork
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/takes-people-make-vaccineswork-reda-sadki/?trackingId=PQ3KXb%2F%2FS%2Bqyiu91c88UUg%3D%3D

Are you ready?

The Special Event: Celebration of World Immunization Week is today. What is this?

Because the number of seats in our Zoom studio is limited, I encourage you to secure your seat now.

CLICK HERE TO SECURE YOUR SEAT

You will not be able to join until 30 minutes before the start time

May 08, 2023 05:00PM (CEST) Verify time in your location…

If the room is full or you have problems using the button above, you can still follow the event on our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or LinkedIn page.

If you do not have the Zoom application installed on your device, you will need to download it in order to join.

New photos are being posted three times a day, in English and French, on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Have you shown your support to your colleagues by liking and sharing your favorite photos?

Invitation from the Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH)

Follow this link to request your invitation https://bit.ly/zd-bangladesh

Share the invitation on WhatsApp and add your comments on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Are you working to reach children in your community who are not receiving life-saving vaccines?

Do you want to learn about successful outreach strategies being used to reach under-immunized communities in other countries?

Join the first Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub Experience Sharing (ZDLH-X) session on 31 May 2023.

Health professionals from Bangladesh and Mali will share their experiences, successes, and lessons learned in working to identify and reach zero-dose children and missed communities.

Participants from all countries are welcome to attend.

Learn more about the Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) https://zdlh.gavi.org

The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF), working with JSI as Gavi's global learning hub partner, is hosting this learning event.

What happens when 14,134 frontline immunization professionals from districts and facilities in 89 countries connect to share their experience – at a time when global agencies are affirming their commitment to local capacity strengthening?

What difference can could such networked learning make as the same agencies call for “the big catchup”, to ensure every child is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases?

The Geneva Learning Foundation’s Insights Unit has distilled thousands of ideas and insights from the latest “Teach to Reach” networking event into practical learning of ‘what works’ – and how – to reach children, families, and communities in 2023.

Download the Teach to Reach 7 insights
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7766585

Register for the next Teach to Reach networking event
https://www.learning.foundation/teachtoreach

Learn more about the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Insights Unit
https://www.learning.foundation/loop

Dr Kate O’Brien, Director of the Department for Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals (IVB), World Health Organization (WHO) and Ephrem T. Lemango, Associate Director of Immunization at UNICEF, explain in the preface to these insights: “It is crucial to support and empower health professionals at the local level. By listening to their stories and insights, we can better understand and address the challenges they face, ultimately fostering a stronger and more resilient global immunization system.”

Read the preface
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-can-we-learn-from-14134-frontline-health

ZDLH-X 1st inter-country peer learning exchange by the Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH)

Follow this link to watch the full recording of the ZDLH-X session.

Follow this link to download the full set of slides, including zero-dose case studies from Bangladesh and Mali.

You will soon receive the request to share what you learned by completing a short feedback questionnaire. ZDLH-X participants who complete this questionnaire will earn a Letter of Commendation from the Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub, delivered by the Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF).

Teach to Reach 8: And now what?

16,835 health professionals from the frontlines of immunization and primary health care (PHC) are using the power of peer learning to tackle their local challenges through the Teach to Reach global learning-to-action network.

The live event was held on Friday 16 June 2023, focused on one-to-one networking between participants.

Teach to Reach 8 was opened by the Women Who Deliver Vaccines collective, who shared their experience of HPV vaccine introduction to help prevent 340,000 deaths from cervical cancer.

Listen to the voices of Women Who Deliver Vaccines explain why HPV vaccine matters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaGTCMTDJ8w

Friday’s live event was powerful. However, this live learning moment was just one step of Teach to Reach.

Ahead of the event, 1,175 participants had already shared experiences on range of community-selected questions.

All Teach to Reach 8 participants receive the complete compendium of the 1,251 experiences shared before the event.

Participants are now using the next two weeks to share their learning and insights.

These insights will also be given back to the community in the upcoming Teach to Reach 8 Listening and Learning insights report.

At any time, participants can share further insights, ideas, and practices with each other, through The Double Loop, our Insights newsletter.

Learn more about The Double Loop https://www.learning.foundation/Loop

Follow this link to see the Teach to Reach 7 insights https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7766585

Participants will also join Insights Live, live-streamed discussions of what we are learning together – and how we are using this to make a difference.

Here are the questions and the number of contributions each one received before Teach to Reach 8:
Why do you work for health? (203 contributions)
What is your biggest challenge in humanitarian settings? (120 contributions)
How have you successfully introduced HPV vaccine? (96 contributions)
How do you see the future of health where you work? (61 contributions)
How has your work been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? (57 contributions)
How has sharing experience with colleagues helped you in your daily work? (30 contributions)
What will help you to build trust with the communities that you serve? (27 contributions)
How have you used Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) during a cholera outbreak? (26 contributions)
How have digital technologies become embedded in your daily work? (22 contributions)

Teach to Reach is part of the Geneva Learning Foundation’s learning-to-action pathway in support of the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).

Unlike expensive face-to-face conferences, Teach to Reach is open to all, and there is no upper limit to the number of participants.

Read more about the superior value, efficacy, and impact of digital networks to drive change in global health

We are delighted to present the English version of Shared Experiences before Teach to Reach 8, featuring contributions on cholera, uterine cancer, humanitarian crises, and many other topics.

GET SHARED EXPERIENCES

Click on the green button above to access and download the Shared Experiences. Once downloaded, complete these four steps:
1. Follow this link to share the handbook with your colleagues.
2. Join us to discuss the first lessons learned. Please confirm your participation. (Follow the blue underlined link.).
3. Share on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Following Teach to Reach 8 with 16,835 health professionals participating, you are invited to join Insights Live on Friday 7 July 2023.

This is a fast-paced 30-minute session in which we will discuss early learning from Teach to Reach 8.

To view the time and topics as well as to confirm your participation, follow these links to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. (Click on the blue, underlined links, note the exact time in your location, confirm your participation, and turn on notifications.)

To prepare for this session, download and review the Experiences Shared publication: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8074794

Are you a health professional? Are you concerned about the effects of climate change on the health of the community you serve?

Learn more and request your invitation
https://www.learning.foundation/climate

Invite a colleague and share the invitation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

This special event is for frontline health professionals who are concerned about the effects of climate on communities. You do not need any special expertise in climate science to participate or to share your observations.

Whether we are a community health worker, nurse, doctor, midwife, pharmacist, public health specialist, or any other health practitioner, our firsthand experience and observations can help better understand the relationship between climate and health.

Country, region, and global climate and/or health partners are invited to listen and learn.

This Special Event is supported by The Geneva Learning Foundation and Bridges to Development.

Did you miss it? Insights Live is now available on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnlH53zo-I8

Early learning from Teach to Reach 8 about vaccination in humanitarian settings (including Oral Cholera Vaccine), HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer, and other topics.

Poor connectivity? Listen to the audio podcast
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9saXN0ZW5ib3guYXBwL2YvNFVkS1dCWmR0MFRv/episode/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubGlzdGVuYm94LmFwcC9hL0VLZHlMNWlCRmM3Lm00YT9zaG93X2lkPTRVZEtXQlpkdDBUbw

Subscribe to the podcast https://www.learning.foundation/podcast

What is the relationship between climate change and health in Africa and Asia? If you are concerned about climate change, please read and share. We will be sharing more in the coming days.

Below are five first-hand observations from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Nigeria, shared by health professionals Pankwa Kitshane Tania, RASOARIVONY Siza Sophie, ANGELE KAHAMBU KABUYAYA, Uzendah Philip Iorchivir, and Mohamed Kuresh Jimale.

They are five of the health professionals from all over the world who are sharing their experience ahead of the Special Event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change”.

Learn more and request your invitation: https://www.learning.foundation/climate

Share on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.

We believe that their on-the-ground experience is vital to assemble the puzzle of the complex relationship between climate change and health.

Their insights is needed to bridge significant gaps in scientific understanding of the scale of the current and future effects of climate change on health; how to protect the health of populations as the climate changes (adaptation); and the potential benefits to health of actions that would reduce climate change (mitigation).

“The climate has become very hot even during the dry season when we expect lower temperatures. The agriculture is disrupted resulting in rare and expensive vegetables and fruits in the market, leading to malnutrition. Also, there are numerous floods in the city due to heavy rains, causing deaths. An overwhelming heat during the night makes sleep impossible, leading to an increase in stress and burnout, especially among workers and students.”–Pankwa Kitshane Tania, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“A vicious cycle exists because everything depends on each other. We are totally dependent on the climate to stay in our balanced ecosystem. The rarity of water leads to the obligatory use of whatever water is available, regardless of the cost it might have on health. The lack of pasture leads to animal deaths, resulting in protein deficiencies and the emergence of malnutrition/diabetes!”–ANGELE KAHAMBU KABUYAYA, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Previously, the Fandriana district was covered in forests. Now the forests are gone. This has led to many changes like flooding that ravages all agriculture, causing famines. The rats invade the village leading to the spread of the plague in all villages. The droughts are also very dominant, leading to insufficient water sources.”–RASOARIVONY Siza Sophie, District of Fandriana, Madagascar.

“In my community in Mbaagwa Clan of Ikurav-Ya District of Kwande LGA, a heavy rainfall one night led to flooding. As a result, children and adults started getting sick. A thorough microscopic and laboratory analysis showed malaria parasites. Research showed that a higher percentage of households with stagnant water around them suffered more. Families not sleeping under mosquito nets were most affected. Hence, it was concluded that the flood led to a higher malaria case fatality.”–Uzendah Philip Iorchivir, Kwande LGA, Benue State, Nigeria.

“In recent years, the Somali state of Ethiopia has experienced several climate-related events. The increasing frequency and intensity of droughts have led to a decrease in crop yields and an increase in food insecurity, directly affecting the health of the community. The rise in temperatures has led to an increase in vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, causing serious illness and even death.”–Mohamed Kuresh Jimale

How is climate change having an effect on health in local communities in Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comores, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinée, Haïti, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritanie, Mongolia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, République du Congo, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe?

In response to the Special Event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change”, 388 health professionals from 40 countries have already shared detailed observations of changes in climate and health in the communities they serve.

As we count down to this Special Event, follow The Geneva Learning Foundation on social media to discover first-hand stories as told by frontline health workers themselves.

Learn more https://www.learning.foundation/climate
Share on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.

Warming, Flooding and Smoking: How Climate and Health Intersect in Ulaanbaatar

Nestled in the heart of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar is a city in flux, home for 32 years to Dr Jargalsaikhan Dondog.

“Warming and smoking,” exclaims Jargalsaikhan when asked about the changes in climate and weather she has observed. The winter seasons have not only grown harsher, but they have also been marked by a rise in smoking behavior, a stress response observed among the city’s residents.

Ulaanbaatar is not just facing environmental shifts. Its people’s health is changing too. “Stress and ill,” Jargalsaikhan sums up, providing a snapshot of the health shifts she has witnessed. The stressors are not only psychological but also physical. She has observed increased respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and stress-related disorders associated with extreme temperatures.

Although not a climate specialist, Jargalsaikhan sees a pattern. “Smoking is observed in the winter season. Infectious diseases caused by contaminated water and food increased among the poor communities,” she explains, suggesting a possible link between the environmental changes and the shifts in health she has observed.

Jargalsaikhan’s experiences also extend to the direct impacts of extreme weather events. Recalling a specific event, she shares, “At the beginning of July, there was a flood in Ulaanbaatar city. When it rained heavily, people’s houses were filled with water, and they could not buy food.”

For Jargalsaikhan, the experience of the flood is a lesson learned. It was a moment, now etched in her memory, that highlights the significant impact of climate change on health, and the importance of resilience in the face of such adversity.

As a health professional with a deep connection to her community, Jargalsaikhan’s observations reflect the lived experiences of many in Ulaanbaatar, but through the trained eyes of a medical doctor. They offer a nuanced, first-hand perspective on the intersection of climate and health, bringing to light the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which a changing environment may affect a city and its people.

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, discover how climate change is reshaping global health, as told by more than 2,500 frontline health professionals from over 50 countries ahead of the Special Event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change”.

#climate #health #localization #WorkingForHealth #ClimateEmergency

ChatGPT was used to produce the first draft based on answers to a short questionnaire that each Special Event participant is invited to complete. The draft was then edited by humans from The Geneva Learning Foundation.

Learn more https://www.learning.foundation/climate
Share on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.

How is climate change having an effect on health in local communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Korea, Republic of, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Republic of, Mongolia, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, United Republic of, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, and Zimbabwe?

In response to the Special Event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change”, as of this morning, 3,419 health professionals had confirmed their participation.

832 health professionals from 52 countries have already shared detailed observations of changes in climate and health in the communities they serve.

As we count down to this Special Event, follow The Geneva Learning Foundation on social media to discover first-hand stories as told by frontline health workers themselves.

Follow The Geneva Learning Foundation to discover frontline stories by frontline health workers about the effects of climate on health

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TGLF Alumna Rukaya Mumuni Honored as a #HeroineOfHealth

Rukaya Mumuni, a frontline health leader in Ghana, alumna and active contributor to The Geneva Learning Foundation’s (TGLF) global network and Leader in the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), has been awarded the Heroines of Health award at the 2023 Women Deliver conference in Kigali, Rwanda.

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Rukaya works “in rural and deprived communities providing outreach services to ensure health care becomes accessible to everyone.” She says: “My biggest passion is to see everyone healthy and protected from preventable diseases through vaccination.”

As a TGLF scholar, she participated in the Teach to Reach programme in March 2020 to improve immunization training. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted vaccination services, she helped build the COVID-19 Peer Hub, working with 6000 other immunization professionals to develop and implement recovery plans, and then to prepare for the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Since then, she has become a leader in the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), sharing her experience – successes, lessons learned, and challenges – as she works with peers from all over the world to ensure no child is left behind.

Regarding TGLF’s contribution, Rukaya said: “I actually got this far because of the experiences and lessons I got from TGLF. Am grateful for all the support.”

At the conference, Rukaya is working hand-in-hand with Dr Julie Jacobson, founder of Swiss NGO Bridges to Development and longtime advocate of action to support communities facing Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a disease that affects an estimated 56 million women and girls in African but remains neglected.

In 2021, TGLF shared a call to action to its alumni to help end the neglect around FGS in their local communities. Within two weeks, over 4,000 alumni responded. Rukaya joined a programme on neglected needs in women’s health, developed in partnership with Bridges to Development, and quickly became a committed advocate in this new network, supported by Julie and her global colleagues.

Rukaya’s award demonstrates the difference that women leaders in TGLF’s networks are making to expand health equity. It also showcases the vital role of networks in cultivating connections across boundaries of geography, system level, and disease. Rukaya, who works in immunization, would have probably never met Julie, were it not for the power of digital networks.

Follow Rukaya @RukayaMumuniand and Julie @DrJulieJ on Twitter

#WomenDeliver #EndTheNeglect #BeatNTDs #VaccinesWork

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The latest issue of The Double Loop, the global health insights newsletter published by The Geneva Learning Foundation, highlights the journey of Kingsley Nignere, a Community Health Worker in Ghana.

Follow this link to learn from IA2030 Movement Leader Kingsley Nignere https://learningsi.notion.site/012-4-Leaders-of-the-Movement-for-IA2030-Kingsley-Nignere-668ea3797e154e4f95eb2b1a00fa04d5

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Facing vaccine hesitancy in his community, Mr. Nignere joined Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) in March 2022, connecting with thousands of other frontline health professionals from 98 countries.

Through this global network, he found, adapted, and applied new ideas and practices to engage stakeholders and volunteers, overcoming misinformation and fear to increase uptake of both malaria and COVID-19 vaccines.

The Double Loop illuminates and shares insights from the peer learning journeys of health workers driving change, like Mr. Nignere.

Read his story of determination in improving immunization outcomes – and discover how his commitment led him to become a Leader in the Movement for IA2030.

When you subscribe to The Double Loop, you will also be invited to become a Contributor. Learn more: https://www.learning.foundation/loop

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Invitation from the Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) (what is this?)

Upcoming Zero-Dose Learning Hub Experience Sharing Session
• Are you working to reach children in your community who are not receiving life-saving vaccines?
• Do you want to learn about successful outreach strategies being used to reach under-immunized communities in other countries?

Join the Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub Experience Sharing (ZDLH-X) session, which will be held on September 13, 2023
1. Follow this link to register.
2. Confirm your participation and share your zero-dose experience.
3. Share the invitation with a colleague.

This session offers a unique opportunity to learn from the experiences, successes, and lessons learned by health professionals from Uganda and Nigeria in identifying and reaching zero-dose children and missed communities.

View the 1st Gavi Zero-Dose Learning Hub inter-country peer learning exchange

View the presentation by Nigeria’s Country Learning Hub at Teach to Reach 8

Participants from all countries are welcome to attend!
• During the session, health professionals will connect virtually, representing different levels of the health system, including government and civil society organizations (CSOs).
• They will share their successes, lessons learned, and challenges encountered in their zero-dose work.

Through these insightful discussions, we hope to inspire innovative approaches and identify best practices that can be adapted in different contexts.

The Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) serves as the global learning partner and is led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) with two consortium partners, The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) and the Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR).