[Re: https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/cervical-cancer-24-community-awareness-... ]
Dear Amal,
Thank you for describing your work in Somalia.
You said: "I would welcome further learning and collaboration on evidence-based approaches to community mobilisation and participatory women's groups, particularly those that could be adapted to the Somali context."
Yes, it would be really good to hear from other HIFA members in other countries about such experience. Can anyone comment on this, or perhaps other approaches to empower and engage women?
I was impressed today by the message from HIFA member Diya Banerjee Sur, who said: "The only counter that has made the program successful is having treated survivors talk to and motivate local village women to join this mission! This is the only method which reassures the reluctant women to get checked and treated"
Indeed a women's group led by a cancer survivor would seem to be a very powerful approach. Such a person could be a regular member of the group or could be invited to speak with the group for a special session on cervical cancer screening and treatment.
It may be useful for such sessions to have visual aids of some kind? Also, perhaps to have simple written guidance for facilitators of such sessions? Is there such guidance that could be used?
Best wishes, Neil
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