HEDEC During WBW 2013 In Bamenda

Health Development Consultancy Services (HEDECS) P.O Box 798, Azire, Bamenda, NW Region CAMEROON Email: hedecsngo@yahoo.com

HEDECS is a community based organization and participated in the World Breast Feeding week with activities in two Sub divisions in the North West Region of Cameroon. HEDECS worked with various local Health Centers and some community actors in order to get out information to the population. During the World Breastfeeding Week, HEDECS was determined to reach out more communities with messages of exclusive breastfeeding than before. Divisions of coverage of breastfeeding week activities were Mezam, which included Bamenda whereby we targeted the Bamenda main market and other communities; Bui, which included Kitiwum, Kikiakom, Kai,Kumbo CMA, BBH, and Kumbo Urban. HEDECS staff and volunteers presented educational talks about exclusive breastfeeding at Health Centers and other facilities in these communities. These talks were well received by the local Health Center staff and by their participants (ANC and IWC), students from the Bamenda Regional Nursing School, and members of other communities. The communities had many questions which were addressed by the presenters. HEDECS also partnered with local radio stations to help deliver key messages. In Bamenda, HEDECS staff and volunteers participated in radio talk shows at Radio Hot Cocoa and NDEFCAM Radio whereby these radio shows reached thousands of listeners. HEDECS organized two march passes in Kumbo West whereby women, men, and youths participated in the march. The march went through the street of the Kumbo urban IHC and a street at Kitiwum where participants carried signs with messages about breastfeeding to help get out our message. We reached out several health centers and other areas in communities in our two target Sub-Divisions with IEC materials (t-shirts, exercise books, soaps, posters and flyers).

HEDECS’ Methodology  Mobilize and attend briefings at the RDPH Bamenda  Education and sensitization of men and women of child bearing age on exclusive breastfeeding in Bamenda  Educative talks to women and men during ANC and IWC at local health centers in Bamenda  Educative talks to students at the regional Nursing School Bamenda  Radio talks at 2 local radio stations in Bamenda  March pass to promote exclusive breastfeeding in Kumbo  Educative talks at ANC and IWC in Kumbo  Discussion and exchange of ideas with community local groups in Bamenda and Kumbo  Distribution of IEC materials o exclusive breastfeeding in Kumbo and Bamenda ACHIEVEMENTS  2 Internal planning meetings were held  2 external planning meetings were held - 2 external planning meetings with the RDPH - 1 external planning meeting with the Regional Delegation of Women Empowerment.  2 march pass in Kumbo  Distribution of IEC materials in the Bamenda main market, Regional hospital Nursing school, IWC Bamenda regional hospital, ANC Mendankwe IHC, Ntambang community, kitiwum IHC, Kia IHC, Kikaikom IHC, B.B.H, C.M.A IHC, Kumbo HIC, star sisters group in the Mendankwe community and in Kumbo.  Participation in 2 radio interactive talk shows on two local radio stations with great participation of the population. - 1 radio talk show on NDEFCAM radio - 1 radio talk show on Hot cocoa with interactive calls. - 2000 persons were reached during the radio talk shows  HEDECS Face book and blog postings reached a huge online population- 572 women, men, youths were addressed face to face, educated and sensitized about Exclusive Breastfeeding. - Sensitization and education of at least 3 health centers in the Mezam and Bui divisions. - Infant welfare clinic at the Kitiwum health area with 24 participants - Infant welfare clinic at the Kumbo CMA with 47 participants - Kia IHC with 40 participants - Infant welfare clinic at Kumbo urban IHC with 37 participants Sensitization and Education in two local communities at Mendankwe star sisters group with 23 participants and Ntambang Mbororo community with 15 participants Sensitization and education of workers in 3 health center in Mezam and Bui divisions. At the Infant Welfare Clinic at Bamenda Regional Hospital attendance was 120 participants and at B.B.H. ANC received 66 participants, while at B.B.H. IWC 56 participants turned out.  Sensitization and educative talk at the Bamenda main market with 50 participants.  Sensitization and education at the Bamenda regional hospital Training school with 61 participants.  Briefing on EB at the RDPH Bamenda, preventive hall with 33 participants.

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED  The quantity of materials received by HEDECS for this program was more as compared to last year though it was still not sufficient.  The seed grant resource was very small for reaching out to different communities especially those in rural areas with very bad roads and moving to some of the communities was very costly and tedious.  Some women especially the mbororo community could not read nor write. Therefore distributing the brochures was a waste of resources. The organisation looked for persons who translated materials in local language verbatim during educative talks. This made HEDECS to spend more time explaining the brochures and posters in local languages and Pidgin English for them to better understand.  Most of the participants in the communities thought that the program had extra motivations for them (like money and food). RECCOMENDATIONS  More materials should be provided to the organisations during next WBW.  A proper mobilization and sensitization of the local population should be encouraged through local radio stations and community groups using local languages.  Means of transportation should be subsidized since some distances are too far to cover.  The week in Cameroon should be prepared well in advance to coincide with the World Breastfeeding Week celebration in other African countries. Cameroon’s celebration was long overdue. CONCLUSION HEDEC's participation in the breastfeeding week activity for the second time was a great success, although we encountered some difficulties. During this week, more women, men and youths were sensitized on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and their questions were answered. We carried out so many activities to reach as many men, women and youths as possible which yielded more impact as compare to last year's activities. With proper planning and availability of resources, it is hoped that our activities in the subsequent years will yield more impact since other communities will be targeted.