Global Health Impact: Saving Lives, Improving Health: 12 Stories from Around the World
Global Health Impact: Saving Lives, Improving Health: 12 Stories from Around the World

This special January 2014 edition of the Global Health Impact Newsletter (subscribe) features 12 stories from 2013 highlighting how MSH is saving lives by strengthening health systems at all levels--from the household to the community to the health facility to national authorities. The stories were selected through an internal storytelling contest (available in print soon).
We are also pleased to share a post from President and CEO Jonathan D. Quick outlining our vision for 2014.
A Note from Dr. Jonathan D. Quick
Vision 2014: UHC and the Opportunity for a Healthy Life
Vision 2014: UHC and the Opportunity for a Healthy Life.Photo credit: Warren Zelman.
In 2014, universal health coverage (UHC) will play a pivotal role in helping us attain our vision: A world where everyone has the opportunity for a healthy life. Read Dr. Quick's blog post
Highlights
Household level
"I Can Make It!" The Story of Bridget
by Gilbert Ojiakor and Farzaneh Foroozan
Bridget is one of more than 1,000 caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children that MSH and partners have trained on children's health and emotional needs and income-generating skills, such as how to start a business, track income and expenses, and regularly save money. Read story
Family Matrix Improves TB Case Detection in Rural Ethiopia
by Abel Helebo
Many women in Ethiopia who are not usually supported by their male partners to access health care are benefiting from health workers trained to use a family matrix system that prioritizes TB screening for family members of TB patients. Read story
Community level
Catching Mosquitoes, not Fish: Returning Bed Nets to their Proper Use in DRC
by Amélie Sow-Dia
"Sleep under a net every night to live safe from malaria" and other malaria awareness and prevention messages have reached approximately 140,000 Congolese from 194 villages. Read story
Religious Leaders Aid Adherence to ART
by Genaye Eshetu
Holy water and ART? Yes, both, say Ethiopian religious leaders, such as Haileselassie, who are providing spiritual support to people living with HIV and encouraging followers to access HIV treatment and support at health centers. Read story
Community Case Management of Malaria Saves Lives of Children Under Five
by MSH staff
Photo credit: MSH staff/SIAPS Burundi.
A pilot project in Burundi is helping ensure rapid testing and treatment of malaria at the community level, leading to more rational medicine use, improved health outcomes, and reduced child mortality. Read story
Community-Based Initiatives Improve Sanitation and Health in Waru, Nigeria
by James Ayodele
"This is the first health program to sustain our community for a long period of time," says a volunteer project manager from Waru. "We now know what to do to keep our environment clean and, as a result, malaria, cholera, diarrhea, and other diseases have been reduced in our community." Read story
Health facility level
Improving Care for Cancer Patients at Kenyatta National Hospital
by Wawira Munyi
A patient receives treatment in a new chemotherapy seat.Photo credit: MSH
The Kenyatta National Hospital Cancer Treatment Center team participated in an MSH-led Leadership Development Program (LDP), choosing to work together to reduce waiting time for new cancer patients. After six months of building skills in problem solving, team work, resource mobilization, stakeholder mobilization, and partnership, the team surpassed its original target by reducing the waiting time for cancer patients from five weeks to one week. Read story
Antiretroviral Dispensing Tool Ensures Uninterrupted Supply for HIV Patients in Kenya
by Yvonne Otieno
Hospital workers are using electronic pharmacy management software to increase the quality of patient care, catch errors in prescriptions or patient information, and identify when patients have missed their appointment or are in danger of running out of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Read story
Championing Medical Laboratory Biosafety Standards at Facility Level in Kenya
by Doris Bota and Judy Mwangi
To reduce laboratory workers' exposure to biohazards, MSH has been supporting training and follow-up at facilities in selected counties across Kenya, enabling lab technicians such as Edison to champion efforts for infection prevention and control. Read story
Improving Family Planning Commodity Management in Dity, Haiti
by Marjorie Eliacin
"We can anticipate shortages and make appropriate preparations to ensure that the people of Dity always have access to family planning methods," says Nurse Odila of Dity Health Center. Coordinated distribution and training of health workers is helping ensure the regular availability and effective management of family planning commodities. Read story
Reviving Santo: Sudanese Refugee Accesses TB Treatment
by Stephen Macharia
The USAID-funded TB CARE I South Sudan project is helping to build hospital staff's capacity in tuberculosis (TB) treatment and infection control--despite challenges the health workers face. Read story
National level
Transforming Ethiopia's Health System with Data-Driven Pharmaceutical Services
by Hailu Tadeg
Photo credit: MSH staff/ SIAPS Ethiopia.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Systems for Increasing Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program, led by MSH, has partnered with the Government of Ethiopia to bring a 100-year-old pharmaceutical management system into the 21st century. Read story