Dear CHIFA colleagues,
Happy new year! Earlier in 2019 we had a brief survey of the CHIFA members. The survey report is now available here (with thanks to HIFA/CHIFA member Martin Carroll):
http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
KEY POINTS
26 responses
1. 100% of respondents said the messages/discussions on CHIFA are always, often or sometimes relevant to their professional activities/interests
2. 96% share messages from the CHIFA forum with others always, often, or sometimes
3. 92% encourage others to join CHIFA always, often, or sometimes
4. Members reported a wide range of benefits from membership of CHIFA
85% reporteed that CHIFA helps them to understand global health issues
73% reported that CHIFA helps them to learn about publications, services and organizations
50% reported that CHIFA has enabled them to make at least one new contact
38% reported that CHIFA has helped them to implement changes in policy, protocol and practice
"CHIFA has given the opportunity to connect with others, update myself with global best practice and opportunity to attend online conference."
"CHIFA contributes to generate synergies with other organizations working with the same goals and interests regarding child health and child rights (i.e.
ISSOP, IPA, among others)"
"Increased my awareness of global health issues and resources relating to paediatric global health"
"CHIFA has helped me to be up-to-date on global health issues and in my university teaching, called my attention to new ideas, technologies and articles within the field of global health, etc. Through my own contributions, other members have contacted me regarding my work which I appreciate."
"CHIFA is informative and presents interesting perspectives from around the globe."
"I very much enjoy the individual comments about specific situations that arise only in resource-limited or low-medical-literacy areas of practice. The sharing of local customs, taboos, practices, myths, etc. I find quite interesting and educational."
"CHIFA has helped me to understand the experiences and opinions of health workers around the globe -- discussions allow sharing of thoughts and experiences on the same issue from different contexts."
"The information is cutting edge. I have put measures to improve clinical newborn care."
"I have been on a course that I heard about through the CHIFA forum."
5. Suggestions for improvement included:
a. "Could you make a short power point presentation of what CHIFA 's structure is and what it has accomplished thus far and share with members?"
You can download the latest CHIFA leaflet in English here:
http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
We have also translated the CHIFA leaflet (with help from CHIFA members) into:
Arabic: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
Spanish: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
There is a Powerpoint presentation of CHIFA in English here:
http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
We have translated this (again with help from CHIFA members) into:
Arabic: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
Indonesian: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
French: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
Spanish: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/CHIFA...
Serbian: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/Intro...
Hausa: http://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/other_publications_uploads/Intro...
b. "Member profiles, searchable archive of prior email threads"
The CHIFA steering group is looking into ways to improve access to member profiles and search on archive. In the meantime, we have set up an RSS feed here where you can review past messages
c. "If we can divide the group into actions, from the beginning to an endpoint question, with valuation at some point, could be interesting and more productive."
We invite suggestions on how this might best be done. The current approach is to establish expert working groups who lead the CHIFA members in discussion around issues on a specific subject. For example, we have a fledgling (unfunded) group on child diarrhoea. In practice, we have found such groups require both (low-level) financial and technical support, for example the CHIFA Newborn Care project was supported by Every Newborn Action Plan and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The strength of the CHIFA forum is to promote communication and understanding of issues. For such communication and understanding to be translated into practice, CHIFA and be considered as part of a larger initiative, as part of a broader framework for action. For example, HIFA is currently sponsored to support WHO's advocacy and engagement strategy for their new Guideline (Oct 2018) on Community Health Workers.
Another aspect of this is the recognition that invitations to discuss issues and requests for information/help from other members may not always be carried through. The CHIFA steering group aims to designate one or more persons on the moderation team to help address this.
d. "Maybe CHIFA meetings as part of other meetings or just some way of connecting in person"
We are highly conscious of the environmental impact of international face-to-face meetings and we don't plan to hold an international meeting solely for the purpose of bringing CHIFA members together. However, for those who are already organising such conferences, we invite you to consider having CHIFA forum as a complementary tool for your conference. CHIFA (and HIFA) have previously been very successfully used as a forum for discussion and debate in the weeks *preceding* conferences (and afterwards too). This brings many benefits to such conferences (more inclusive, more sharing of experience and expertise, more publicity, more momentum...) and to CHIFA (focal point for discussion and debate, leading to presentation of CHIFA discussion at the conference). Also, we welcome publicity for face-to-face conferences as this allows the opportunity for CHIFA members to register and meet one another informally at the conference. Finnally, if any CHIFA members are planning to attend a conference in the coming months, whether international or national, and if you are willing to help publicise CHIFA at the conference, please do get in touch: we have leaflets and Powerpoint slides you can use, and we can give technical support as needed.
With all best wishes,
Neil
Let's build a future where children are no longer dying for lack of healthcare information - Join CHIFA (Child Healthcare Information For All): http://www.hifa.org/forums/chifa-child-health-and-rights
CHIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is the coordinator of the HIFA campaign (Healthcare Information For All) and assistant moderator of the CHIFA forum. Twitter: @hifa_org FB: facebook.com/HIFAdotORG neil@hifa.org
