Resource Search Results

  • Self-Care’s Contribution to Global Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness.

    By Davina Canagasabey, Senior Technical Advisor—Primary Health Care, PATH  From PATH’s perspective, how does self-care advance universal health coverage (UHC)? PATH prioritizes self-care as a critical component as standing up strengthened and resilient …

  • Job Aid: Self-Managed Family Planning Methods

    Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: FACT SHEETLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: HEALTH PROVIDERS, IMPLEMENTING PARTNERSPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CAREYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Self-Care Strategies for Women and Girls with Disabilities

    Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: STRATEGYLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: GENERAL POPULATIONPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CAREYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Eliminating Unsafe Abortion Through Self-Care Interventions: Sri Lanka

    Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: FACT SHEETLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: GENERAL POPULATIONPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CARE, SRHRYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Eliminating Unsafe Abortion Through Self-Care Interventions: Myanmar

    Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: FACT SHEETLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: GENERAL POPULATIONPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CARE, SRHRYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Eliminating Unsafe Abortion Through Self-Care Interventions: Indonesia

    Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: FACT SHEETLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: GENERAL POPULATIONPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CARE, SRHRYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Eliminating Unsafe Abortion Through Self-Care Interventions: Bangladesh

    Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: FACT SHEETLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: GENERAL POPULATIONPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CARE, SRHRYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Family Planning Infographic

    Download resource Download resource RESOURCE TYPES: TOOLKITSLANGUAGES: ENGLISHPOPULATION SERVED: GENERAL POPULATIONPRACTICE AREAS: SELF-CARE, SRHRYEAR: 2024PROJECTS: SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Introducing DISC 2.0 – Scaling Self-Inject Contraception

    Since 2020, Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) has asked women what they want when it comes to sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH).

  • 1 Million Self-Inject Visits Later – 3 Takeaways from Supporting Woman-Powered Care

    Since 2020, Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) has asked women what they want when it comes to sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH).

  • Meeting Summary: Annual Members Summit 2024 (English)

    Download resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is a global coalition dedicated to expanding the safe and effective practice of self-care so that individuals can better manage their own health, health outcomes are improved, and health systems …

  • Meeting Summary: Annual Members Summit 2024 (French)

    Download resource Resource Types: SUMMARY DOCUMENTLanguages:FRENCHPopulation Served: GENERAL POPULATIONPractice Areas:SELF-CAREYear:2024Projects:SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Meeting Summary: Annual Members Summit 2024 (Spanish)

    Download resource Resource Types: SUMMARY DOCUMENTLanguages:SPANISHPopulation Served: GENERAL POPULATIONPractice Areas:SELF-CAREYear:2024Projects:SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Guide National Autosoin Senegal 2021

    Download resource Resource Types: GUIDELINESLanguages:FRENCHPopulation Served: GENERAL POPULATIONPractice Areas:SELF-CAREYear:2021Projects:SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • Ethiopia National Self-Care Guideline

    Download resource In Ethiopia, the health system is challenged by shortage of health workforce, inadequate infrastructure, poor health seeking behavior, shortage of supplies and commodities and inadequate funding. Furthermore, there is also a gap in ac …

  • Kenya Self-Care Guidelines 2023

    Download resource Kenya has witnessed increased impetus towards advancing self­care to support an increasingly informed and engaged public in matters health at a time when innovative advances in health products and technologies are being witnessed with …

  • Nigeria National Self-Care Guidelines

    Download resource The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) of Nigeria prioritized the development of a self-care guideline as a timely response to the COVID 19 pandemic and a potential route to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). The guidelines dev …

  • Documentation of the Uganda Self-Care Implementation; The Journey and Achievements for the Past 3 Years

    Download resource The purpose of this report is to document and highlight the journey of self-care from inception, progress made, best practices, lessons and challenges attained in the implementation of self-care interventions in Uganda. Resource Types …

  • National Self-Care Networks | Ethiopia

    National Networks NATIONAL Self-Care networks SCTG National Self-Care Networks contributes to building a coordinated, diverse, and influential self-care movement that is mobilized around common goals and messaging to advance self-care at the national a …

  • A Guide to Developing and Testing a National Self-Care Policy

    In 2020, Uganda began the process of developing a national self-care guideline for sexual and reproductive health and rights, based on the World Health Organization (WHO)’s guideline on self-care, released in June 2019 and revised in 2022. The WHO guid …

  • Localizing WHO Guidelines on Self-Care

    Download resource In 2020, Uganda began the process of developing a national self-care guideline for sexual and reproductive health and rights. The guideline was based on the World Health Organization (WHO)’s guideline on self-care, released in June 20 …

  • Learning and Discovery Series

    Learning and Discovery Series AboutThe Series Held every two years, the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series (SCLADS) is a highly interactive virtual forum that invites the self-care community to share new knowledge, elevate findings and solutions, …

  • Lessons from Kenya: National Self-Care Guidelines on the Fast Track

    Download Resource Self-care for health and well-being is increasingly being recognized as a key component of a strong health system. A growing number of countries are taking strides to adapt, adopt, and implement national self-care guidelines, followin …

  • DISC Empathy Training Evaluation Study Findings

    Download Resource DISC began a formal evaluation of DISC’s SI service delivery impact in 36 participating health facilities in Niger, Lagos, and Oyo states of Nigeria in July 2022, with ongoing data gathering intervals through May of 2023. The evaluati …

  • DISC EMPATHY TRAINING EVALUATION STUDY FINDINGS

    Download Resource DISC began a formal evaluation of DISC’s SI service delivery impact in 36 participating health facilities in Niger, Lagos, and Oyo states of Nigeria in July 2022, with ongoing data gathering intervals through May of 2023. The evaluati …

  • Trailblazing the Path to Self-Care

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is a global coalition dedicated to expanding the safe and effective practice of self-care so that individuals can better manage their own health, health outcomes can be improved, and health syste …

  • 12 Days of UHC Campaign: How Does Self-Care Support Achievement of the UHC2030 Action Agenda?

    We know that self-care is an integral part of building resilient and responsive health systems and an important tool for achieving UHC 2030 goals. This year, in order to highlight the connection between self-care and UHC, we collaborated with government leaders, advocates, and implementers from around the world to dig deeper on how self-care can help to achieve each of the eight UHC2030 Action Agenda Areas.

  • Summary: Evidence and Learning Working Group Third Member Meeting 2023

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) including its Evidence and Learning Working Group (ELWG) is midway through its 2021–2025 strategy. This presents a critical opportunity to reflect on the coalition achievements to date, including …

  • Summary: Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series 2023

    Download Resource Held every two years, the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series is a virtual learning series that invites the self-care community to share new knowledge, elevate findings and solutions, and forge connections across issues and geogra …

  • Session Abstracts: Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series 2023

    Download Resource Held every two years, the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series is a virtual learning series that invites the self-care community to share new knowledge, elevate findings and solutions, and forge connections across issues and geogra …

  • São Paulo Declaration on Self-Care for Universal Health Coverage

    Download Resource The São Paulo Declaration on Self-Care for Universal Health Coverage — spearheaded by Ministers of Health, representatives of governments, nongovernmental organizations, private sector representatives, and members of the United for S …

  • DISCOVER YOUR POWER – A CAMPAIGN FOR SELF-INJECT CONTRACEPTION

    The DISC project has created a buzz around SI through the Discover Your Power Campaign – a digital campaign targeting women of reproductive age in Uganda and Nigeria that reached over 248 million people with SI education messaging. Within a short span of time, Discover Your Power has helped over 443,000 consumers to seek SI services.

  • Bending the Curve on Adoption of Self-Injectable Contraception

    Download Resource Delivering innovation in Self-Care (DISC) is a five-year project funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation that supports women to assume greater power and control over their sexual and reproductive health by using contracept …

  • STAR at ICASA 2023

    STAR INITIATIVE at ICASA 2023 4 – 9 December 2023 Learn how self-testing is driving a movement towards prevention and resilience.  JOIN STAR AT ICASA 2023 in person or virtually Self-testing has shifted the paradigm for HIV testing. Only eight years ag …

  • Situational Analysis of Sexual and Reproductive Health Self-Care Intervention in Ethiopia

    Download Resource Recognizing the contribution to achieve UHC and the SDGs, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being to provide evidence based normative guidance that will support in …

  • Costing and Financing for Self-Care for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

    Download Resource Resource Types: GUIDES AND TOOLKITS Languages:ENGLISH Population Served:GENERAL POPULATION Practice Areas:SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Year: 2023 Projects:SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZER GROUP

  • A Conceptual Framework for Costing and Financing Self-Care Interventions in Low- and middle income countries

    Download Resource Self-care has been recognized as a mechanism for increasing health system performance by improving access to essential healthcare, expanding coverage to hard-to-reach populations, and reducing the burden of costs associated with provi …

  • Costing and Financing of Self-Care: Annotated Bibliography

    Download Resource The articles included in this bibliography are guided by the definition of self-care described by the WHO: “Self-care interventions refer to evidence-based, quality tools such as medicines, counselling, diagnostics and/or digital tech …

  • Self-Care Learning & Discovery Series 2023 – VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

    LA SERIE DE APRENDIZAJE Y DESCUBRIMIENTO DE LA AUTOCUIDADO DEL 30 DE OCTUBRE AL 17 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2023 ACERCA DE LA SERIE La Serie de Aprendizaje y Descubrimiento de la Autocuidado, que se celebra cada dos años, es una serie de aprendizaje virtual que …

  • Self-Care Learning & Discovery Series 2023 – VERSION FRANÇAISE

    LES RENDEZ-VOUS SAVOIRS ET DÉCOUVERTE SUR L’AUTOSOIN 30 OCTOBRE – 17 NOVEMBRE  2023 À PROPOS DU RENDEZ-VOUS Organisée tous les deux ans, les rendez-vous savoirs et découverte sur l’autosoin est une série d’apprentissage virtuel qui invite la communauté …

  • SCTG Third Annual Members Summit

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is a global coalition dedicated to expanding the safe and effective practice of self-care so that individuals can better manage their own health, health outcomes are improved, and health systems …

  • Self-care enhances access and autonomy

    Today, nearly 900 million women of the 1.9 billion women of reproductive age are using some form of modern contraception. This is a far cry from the mid-1950s when there were not many contraceptive choices and family planning programs were nascent.

  • UHC 2030: We Need Self-Care to Achieve Care for All.

    Global health took center stage at this year’s United Nations General Assembly with not just one, but three High-Level Meetings taking place this week: Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response; Tuberculosis; and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

  • Self-Care Evidence and Learning Tools: ELWG June 2023 Meeting Highlights

    Download Resource The SCTG Evidence and Learning Working Group (ELWG) seeks to generate and synthesize high-quality evidence to support evidence-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) self-care. This community of practice of over 500 members (65% r …

  • Be in the KNOW: Supporting Health Literacy and Agency through Digital Self-Care

    Health literacy is an essential pre-requisite for effective self-care. Equipping individuals with accurate and actionable health information ensures they are fully empowered in the successful prevention, monitoring and management of their health condit …

  • Pioneering Self-Care in Nigeria: A Pathway to Expanding Health Access for Vulnerable Populations

    The Government of Nigeria has taken a pioneering role in advancing self-care within the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) sector. By developing one of the world’s first national SRH self-care guidelines, Nigeria has laid a strong foundation to promo …

  • SCTG Country Monitoring Dashboards: Documenting the Impact of Self-Care Interventions

    By: Judy Mwangi, Regional Monitoring Advisor, Population Services InternationalOne of the functions of the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is to ensure the institutionalization of self-care policies and financing at national and subnational levels a …

  • NaviHealth.aiTM: Empowering Patients’ Care and Enhancing Healthcare Quality in Nigeria

    “I don’t think my baby was given the right medication even after I complained to the nurse” Mrs L.B. recently shared her experience at Epe PHC, Lagos, Nigeria, where she had concerns about her baby’s medication. After contacting another healthcare work …

  • Providing Virtual Self-Care Health Coaching To Women of Reproductive Age Using CompleteHealth™ Platform

    Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) pose a significant threat to women’s health globally, especially in low and middle-income countries.

  • Celebrate Self-Care 24/7

    This year marks the 12th anniversary of the inaugural International Self-Care Day – established by the International Self-Care Federation and now celebrated worldwide.

  • Sexual and Reproductive Health Self-Care Measurement Tool Brief Summary 2023

    Download Resource Self-care aims to place users at the center of health systems, supporting equitable access to health services, and improving health system resilience. Because it is often practiced outside of the formal health system, self-care monito …

  • Supporting Sexual and Reproductive Self-Care Through Social and Behavior Change: A Conceptual Framework (SBC Self-Care Framework) Brief Summary 2023

    Download Resource Sexual and reproductive self-care is strongly influenced by the social, cultural, and structural context in which individuals and couples live. Knowledge, attitudes, policies, motivations, access, social norms, and individual agency p …

  • Quality of Care Framework for Self-Care Brief Summary 2023

    Download Resource All health systems have a duty to ensure quality care, including when health behaviors and practices take place outside the confines of a facility. As self-care becomes more prevalent and accessible, the quality of this care must be e …

  • State of Self-Care Report 2023 Progress and Potential of Self-Care: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead

    Download Resource The sexual and reproductive health (SRH) field is witnessing a burgeoning array of self-care policies and programs globally, and practical evidence from diverse self-care interventions is beginning to emerge. As momentum around self-c …

  • Policy Mapping Assessing Implementation of the WHO Consolidated Guideline on Self-Care Interventions Brief Summary 2023

    Download Resource The number of self-care stakeholders is growing internationally, yet no validated methods exist for evaluating the extent to which countries are institutionalizing and implementing the recommendations of the 2019 World Health Organiza …

  • Digital Self-Care a Framework for Design, Implementation, and Evaluation Brief Summary 2023

    Download Resource The ways in which people engage in self-care are changing. Mobile phones, smart phones, internet access, and artificial intelligence offer the potential to increase health access and facilitate self-care for individuals who may otherw …

  • Join SCTG at Women Deliver 2023

    Let’s Advance Self-Care to Achieve Universal Health Coverage.

  • STAR at IAS 2023

    STAR INITIATIVE at IAS 2023 23 – 26 July 2023 Learn how self-testing is driving a movement towards prevention and resilience. Self-testing has shifted the paradigm for HIV testing. Only eight years ago, use of HIV self-testing (HIVST) was limited due t …

  • State of Self-Care Report  – “Progress and Potential of Self-Care: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead”

    Self-care interventions are among the most promising and exciting new approaches to improve health and well-being, placing people at the center of care and allowing individuals to be agents of their own health.

  • 2023 Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series

    2023 Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series 30 October – 17 November 2023 VERSION FRANÇAISE VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL SCLADS HOMEPAGE Click here About SCLADS 2023 The 2023 edition of the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series featured 21 highly interactive …

  • Open Letter to UN Member States for the inclusion of Self-Care in the UHC Agenda

    Let’s Advance Self-Care to Achieve Universal Health Coverage.

  • STATE OF SELF-CARE REPORT

    Download Resource The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 400 million people worldwide lack access to the most essential health services. In 2016, the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 projected a global …

  • Self-Care Evidence and Learning Tools: ELWG April 2023 Meeting Highlights

    Download Resource The SCTG Evidence and Learning Working Group (ELWG) held its first member meeting of 2023 on April 13th. The meeting detailed key ELWG achievements to date and 2023 priorities – including information on the development and utilization …

  • Self-Care: A Foundational Component of Health System Sustainability

    Embedding self-care practices into the healthcare continuum has the potential to improve health and quality of life while supporting sustainable health systems.

  • Member Spotlight: Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG)

    The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ESOG) was established in 1992 in response to the Safe Motherhood Initiative as a collective professional expression of concern about the high maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, and the poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) status in the country.

  • Self-Care for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Humanitarian and Fragile Settings: Barriers, Opportunities and Lessons Learned

    Globally, crises are becoming increasingly complex and compounded as conflict, infectious disease outbreaks, and climate change exacerbate both their scale and severity. More than 80 million women and adolescent girls need humanitarian assistance and 450 million live in fragile settings.

  • MOVING THE NEEDLE ON CONTRACEPTIVE SELF-CARE: LEVERAGING A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH IN NIGERIA

    Injectable contraceptive methods are highly popular in Nigeria. In fact, they represent the most popular category of modern methods used by married couples and 88% of married women are aware of them (NDHS, 2018).

  • HIV SELF-TESTING TO TAKE OFF IN INDIA: FINDINGS FROM THE STAR INITIATIVE

    A report launched at a national event held in New Delhi last year showed HIVST is acceptable to key populations and their partners in India.

  • Introducing the DISC Learning Series: Insights for Catalyzing Contraceptive Self-Care

    Self-care is increasingly gaining traction within the global SRH community of practice, particularly as a means of offering women greater autonomy and control over their reproductive health. Since 2020, the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) pro …

  • SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SELF-CARE MEASUREMENT TOOL

    Download Resource FIRST EDITIONThe Sexual and Reproductive Health Self-Care Measurement Tool aims to provide a global standard approach to practical and accurate measurement of sexual and reproductive (SRH) self-care interventions, with a focus on thre …

  • HOW SELF-CARE CAN SUPPORT RESILIENCE IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA

    Self-care approaches and tools offer women more control over their lives.

  • What I’ve Learned Championing Self-Care in Nigeria

    At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we believe one of the most important ways countries can support individuals, families, communities, and societies is by investing in women’s health. We believe promoting self-care is critical to achieving this vision. That’s why self-care is an important part of the foundation’s family planning strategy and why we are a proud member of the Self-Care Trailblazers Group.

  • Strides towards ending HIV and achieving Universal Health Coverage in Sri-Lanka via self-care: A case study.

    Download Resource In this case study, FPA Sri-Lanka (FPASL), a member association of The International Planned Parenthood Federation, South Asia Region, shares its work on key population interventions that address the prevention, diagnosis, and treatme …

  • LEVERAGING DIGITAL TOOLS TO SPARK INTEREST IN SELF-INJECT CONTRACEPTION: RESULTS FROM DISC’S PARTNERSHIP WITH META IN NIGERIA

    Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) is a five-year project funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation implemented by Population Services International in Uganda and Malawi, as well as in Nigeria (in partnership with the Society for Famil …

  • MEETING SUMMARY: An SRH Self-Care Measurement Tool

    Download Resource The Measurement Sub-Working Group of SCTG’s Evidence and Learning Working Group (ELWG) convened a meeting of over 70 global experts in measurement of sexual and reproductive health self-care in November. The purpose of the 3-day meeti …

  • How abortion self-care brings us closer to Universal Health Care / Cómo el autocuidado del aborto nos acerca a la Atención Sanitaria Universal

    Self-managed abortion has disrupted the idea that medical providers are the only legitimate agents for abortion care delivery, and it contributes to a growing trend towards de-medicalization wherein women and other people who can get pregnant have a central role in controlling their abortion process.

  • Nivi’s digital health marketplace: Accelerating progress toward universal health coverage (UHC) through digital self-care

    Successful self-care interventions rely on understanding individual motivation. Organizations that can measure how likely the individual will act on their own health priorities are better positioned to serve individuals.

  • Galvanizing momentum and commitments to make self-care a reality for all

    Self-care offers an important and exciting opportunity to ensure access to essential SRHR services across the humanitarian-development nexus.

  • Ensuring inclusion of abortion and contraceptive self care in the Self Care movement / L’autosoin doit inclure l’accès à l’avortement et aux contraceptifs

    There can be no self-care “revolution” without access to safe, quality and affordable abortion care: to live freely and to their full potential, women must have access to modern methods of contraception, safe abortion, fertility and maternity care.

  • Self-Care and Maternal Health: Building a Healthy, Equitable World for Young Women

    Health equity is central to achieving universal health coverage (UHC), which means concerted efforts must be devoted to targeting those who are often left out of the conversation, such as adolescent and young mothers. Safe and effective self-care practices have the potential to improve the equity and efficiency of the health system by allowing each actor to maximize their contribution.

  • Midwives are key to enabling self-care and achieving health for all

    Midwives should embrace and champion self-care because it can help their clients manage their own health, improving access to healthcare and facilitating more effective and efficient deployment of scarce midwifery resources.

  • Self-care: Transforming the relationship between individuals and health systems

    Self-care can reduce, and in some cases eliminate, barriers to care by enhancing convenience, privacy, and confidentiality. It can also make it easier for people to seek services and continue prevention and treatment measures when necessary.

  • SELF-CARE SRHR INTERVENTIONS: THE IMPACT ON YOUTH AND ADOLESCENTS

    The evidence is clear that self-care improves healthcare for the youth and allows them to take control of their health. As we work to achieve UHC, we need to ensure self-care products that meet the needs of youth and adolescents are included because youth are the future, but they also have healthcare needs today.

  • Self-Care for Health Systems Sustainability: Paving the Way for UHC

    We know that embedding self-care practices into health systems improves health and quality of life while simultaneously supporting health systems’ sustainability.

  • Self-testing a Vital Tool to Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Build a Healthy Future for All.

    Self-testing is an essential part of universal health coverage (UHC) and avital tool to help people learn about their HIV status on their own, offering individuals a pathway to accessing HIV treatment and effective HIV prevention interventions.

  • 12 DAYS OF UHC 2022

    Join the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) for the 12 Days of UHC as we celebrate UHC Day 2022 leading up to the High-Level Meeting on UHC led by the United Nations in 2023. SCTG members will share insights and lessons on how self-care can help us build the world we want, progressing toward UHC.

  • Case Study: A Digital Health Intervention to Advance SRHR among Youth in Ghana

    Download Resource Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), a member of the SCTG, has reached millions of young people with sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services overtime, including abortion services via in-per …

  • A Spotlight on Vitala Global Foundation

    Vitala Global Foundation’s mission is to revolutionize sexual and reproductive self-care through co-designed, holistic, and localized digital solutions that meet women and girls where they are, empowering them to be agents of change.

  • THE SELF-CARE TRAILBLAZERS GROUP FP2030 COMMITMENT

    View Resource FP2030 is a global partnership centered solely on family planning – situating family planning at the crossroads of the global health, development, and gender equality agendas.  The SCTG supports FP2030’s guiding principles of co …

  • SELF-CARE AT ICFP 2022 ROADMAP

    View Resource The SCTG joins the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2022 with abstracts, panel discussions and a side event. Click to view our Self-Care at ICFP 2022 Roadmap to see all self-care events taking place at the conference. Be …

  • A Spotlight on International Rescue Committee (IRC)

    The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. Airbel Impact Lab is IRC’s research and innovation center, designing, testing, and scaling life-changing solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster.

  • SCTG In The News Archives

    In The News Archives IN THE NEWSARCHIVES

  • SCTG Newsletter Archives

    Newsletter Archives NEWSLETTERARCHIVES 2021 January 19HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis Testing for Pregnant and Postpartum Women WHO WebinarTime: 15-17:00 CETDetails: Led by the World Health Organization, this webinar will include presentations on deliver …

  • SCTG Events Archives

    Events Archives PASTEVENTS 2021 January 19HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis Testing for Pregnant and Postpartum Women WHO WebinarTime: 15-17:00 CETDetails: Led by the World Health Organization, this webinar will include presentations on delivering HIV, HBs …

  • RWSI – ON-DEMAND CONTRACEPTIVES

    On-demand contraceptives What is woman-controlled, on-demand contraception? For the first time, there is a robust pipeline of female-controlled, on-demand methods poised for market introduction to meet the needs of a large segment of women and girls wh …

  • New research shows self-injectable contraception can enable women to take charge of their reproductive health

    In honor of World Contraception Day 2022, PATH researchers share insights on scale up of DMPA-SC from various pilots and studies.

  • A Spotlight on Global Health Media Project

    GHMP is a small Vermont-based nonprofit that creates high-quality teaching videos to help health workers and community members, especially in low-resource settings, learn information and skills that can improve health care and save lives. GHMP has created over 200 unique live-action videos covering topics such as newborn care, childbirth, breastfeeding, nutrition, and family planning.

  • National Self-Care Networks | Uganda

    National Networks NATIONAL Self-Care networks SCTG National Self-Care Networks contributes to building a coordinated, diverse, and influential self-care movement that is mobilized around common goals and messaging to advance self-care at the national a …

  • National Self-Care Networks | Senegal

    National Networks NATIONAL Self-Care networks SCTG National Self-Care Networks contributes to building a coordinated, diverse, and influential self-care movement that is mobilized around common goals and messaging to advance self-care at the national a …

  • National Self-Care Networks | Nigeria

    National Self-Care Networks NATIONAL Self-Care networks SCTG National Self-Care Networks contributes to building a coordinated, diverse, and influential self-care movement that is mobilized around common goals and messaging to advance self-care at the …

  • RWSI Market potential

    Market Potential A Case for Investing in On-Demand Contraception Infrequent sex is one big reason why women aren’t using contraception. How might this change if we introduced a woman-controlled, on-demand contraceptive option? Addressing the needs of w …

  • RWSI On-demand contraceptives

    On-demand contraceptives What is woman-controlled, on-demand contraception? For the first time, there is a robust pipeline of female-controlled, on-demand methods poised for market introduction to meet the needs of a large segment of women and girls wh …

  • RWSI Consumer Insights

    Consumer insights Prepared and in control When it comes to contraceptive options, we’re missing the 150 million women and girls living in low- and- middle-income countries who have infrequent sex and still want to be prepared and in control. These cons …

  • RWSI Events

    EVENTS OCT 11 @ 10 am EST WEBINAR INVESTING IN ON-DEMAND CONTRACEPTION On Oct. 11 at 10-11 am ET, join the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Population Services International (PSI) and the Camber Collective for a webinar …

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  • RWSI Contact Us

    FOR ANY INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT US

  • RWSI Resources
  • RWSI Learn with us
  • RWSI Home

    Her Choice,On Demand. When we invest in on-demand, women-controlled contraception, we’re investing in being #ReadyWhenSheIs. Learn with us.Photo credit IDEO.org No woman left behind. When it comes to contraceptive options, we’re missing the 150 million …

  • National Self-Care Networks | Kenya

    National Networks NATIONAL Self-Care networks SCTG National Self-Care Networks contributes to building a coordinated, diverse, and influential self-care movement that is mobilized around common goals and messaging to advance self-care at the national a …

  • EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH

    EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH EVIDENCE AND LEARNING WORKING GROUP The Self-Care Trailblazer Group works to coordinate and broker knowledge generated and accumulated across partners and initiatives in pursuit of the SCTG’s overall objectives. Through its Eviden …

  • Advocacy

    Advocacy ADVOCACY WORKING GROUP The Advocacy Working Group (AWG) leads a global, coordinated advocacy, outreach, and communications effort to foster the introduction and scale-up of self-care interventions within health systems. The AWG aims to grow an …

  • Searching for the link between contraceptive self-care and reproductive empowerment

    Research for Scalable Solutions (R4S) systematically reviewed the grey and peer-reviewed literature written on reproductive empowerment and access, acceptability, use or intention to use contraceptive self-care.

  • A Spotlight on the International Federation of Medical Students Associations

    The International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFSMA) is one of the oldest and biggest student-led organizations in the world and unites 1.3 million medical students from 130 countries. The IFMSA works in Public Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Human Rights and Peace, Medical Education and Students’ Exchanges and champions advocacy on health equity and meaningful youth engagement.

  • Can Self-Care and Digital Solutions Reduce Contraceptive Discontinuation?

    Could it be that contraceptive convenience plays a much bigger role in method satisfaction than we thought? Have we underestimated how much women are willing trade off other method characteristics (e.g., side effects) for increased convenience? If convenience really has that much influence on discontinuation, perhaps we need to rethink what we think we know about discontinuation.

  • A Spotlight On New Coalition Steering Committee Member Ipsa Agnani

    New Steering Committee member Ipsa Agnani (she/her), a young feminist and development practitioner from India, answers questions about her expertise and passion for self-care.

  • A Spotlight on Camber Collective and the Plan A Project

    Camber Collective works globally across various sectors but engages in a significant portion of its work in global health specifically, the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and family planning (FP) space. Camber has been working on projects in the Global South-related to SRH, FP, and self-care for more than 10 years.

  • SELF-CARE FOR UHC ADVOCACY TOOLKIT

    version française versión en español Since the inception of the SCTG, self-care champions have shared that one of the greatest challenges facing advocates is that too few people understand what self-care is and the valuable role it plays within univers …

  • Brochure about the Self-Care Trailblazer Group

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group Brochure defines self-care and explains why the need for self-care is so great, and the transformative power of self-care. This tool also shares information about the SCTG, what we are doing to address …

  • Self-Care Messaging Platform

    Download Resource This messaging framework is designed to help advocates, resource mobilizers, and communications professionals make the case to influencers, policymakers, and leaders to prioritize self-care, as an essential approach to increasing acce …

  • Cadre d’élaboration des messages sur l’auto-soin

    Télécharger Ce cadre d’elaboration des messages est conçu pour aider les défenseurs, les mobilisateurs de ressources et les professionnels de la communication à convaincre les acteurs influents, les décideurs et les dirigeants de donner la priorité a l …

  • Infographie sur l’auto-soin et la couverture sanitaire universelle

    Télécharger Cette infographie illustre la relation entre la promotion de l’auto-soin et le renforcement des systèmes de santé pour tous. L’infographie vise à établir le lien entre l’auto-soin et le couverture sanitaire universelle, à montrer comment l’ …

  • Foire aux questions (FAQ) sur l’auto-soin 

    Télécharger La Foire aux questions (FAQ) fournit des réponses aux questions les plus courantes sur l’auto-soin et le mouvement qui y est associé. La FAQ partage des informations sur l’auto-soin, le mouvement et le travail que nous effectuons au sein du …

  • Termes courants de l’auto-soin

    Télécharger L’auto-soin peut signifier des choses différentes selon les personnes. Les termes courants en matière de l’auto-soin ont été élaborés pour que les champions de l’auto-soin disposent d’un ensemble commun de termes et d’un langage partagé lor …

  • Modèle de note de politique

    Télécharger Ce modèle de note de politique fournit aux défenseurs des droits au niveau national le modèle d’une note de politique sur l’amélioration de l’auto-soin à la lumière de la pandémie de COVID-19. Ce modèle contient des informations sur l’auto- …

  • Dépliant sur Le Self-Care Trailblazer Group 

    Télécharger La dépliant du Self-Care Trailblazer Group définit l’auto-soin et explique pourquoi le besoin en matière de l’auto-soin est si grand, ainsi que son pouvoir transformateur. Cet outil fournit également des renseignements sur le SCTG, ce que n …

  • Marco de comunicación sobre el autocuidado

    Descargar Este marco de comunicación está diseñado para ayudar a los defensores, movilizadores de recursos y profesionales de la comunicación a convencer a las personas influyentes, a los responsables políticos y a los líderes para que den prioridad al …

  • Infografía sobre el autocuidado y para la CSU

    Descargar Esta infografía ilustra la relación entre el fomento del autocuidado y el fortalecimiento de los sistemas de salud para todos. El objetivo de la infografía es establecer la conexión entre el autocuidado y la cobertura sanitaria universal, abo …

  • Preguntas frecuentes sobre el autocuidado

    Descargar Las Preguntas Frecuentes proporcionan respuestas a las preguntas más comunes que la gente tiene sobre el autocuidado y el movimiento de autocuidado. Las preguntas frecuentes comparten información sobre el autocuidado, el movimiento y el traba …

  • Términos comunes de autocuidado

    Descargar El autocuidado puede significar diferentes cosas para diferentes personas. Los términos comunes de autocuidado han sido desarrollados para asegurar que los defensores tengan un conjunto  de términos en común y un lenguaje compartido al hablar …

  • Plantilla resumen de políticas

    Descargar Esta plantilla  de resumen de política proporciona a los defensores de los países el modelo de un resumen  de política sobre la ampliación del autocuidado a la luz de la pandemia de COVID-19. La plantilla contiene información sobre el autocui …

  • Folleto del Self-Care Trailblazer Group

    Descargar El folleto del Self-Care Trailblazer Group  define el autocuidado y explica por qué es tan necesario y el poder transformador del autocuidado. Esta herramienta también comparte información sobre el SCTG, lo que estamos haciendo para abordar l …

  • SELF-CARE ADVOCACY IN ACTION: SHARED APPROACHES FOR SUCCESS IN UGANDA, NIGERIA, AND SENEGAL

    Leaders across the world, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and others are leveraging technological platforms to reach and influence Pakistani students and young graduates in advancing self-care.

  • Making Diaphragms Cool Again: Bringing an Old Method to a New Audience

    There is no single, perfect contraceptive method for all. Contraceptive users have preferences and needs that are varied, unique and personal. Access to a range of options, however, has been shown to increase overall contraceptive use by ensuring that each person is able to find a method that works best for them.

  • STAR at AIDS 2022

    STAR INITIATIVE at AIDS 2022 29 july – 2 august Learn how HIV Self-Testing is driving a movement towards prevention and resilience.Self-testing has shifted the paradigm for HIV testing. Only seven years ago, use of HIV self-testing (HIVST) was limited …

  • Self-Care Advocacy in Action: Uganda Reevaluates and Reimages Self-Care

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) supports civil society organizations in several countries to help create an enabling policy environment for self-care, while also serving as “learning centers” for self-care advocacy. This case s …

  • SRH Self-Care SBC Framework: Reflections from Sayana Press Self Injection Study, South Sudan

    This technical brief explores measurement of sexual and reproductive health self-care programs and policies, which is critical for strengthening evidence-based decision-making.

  • Defining Self Care

    ABOUT US Established in November 2018 with support from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) was formed to support governments in institutionalizing self-care i …

  • Technical Brief: MEASUREMENT OF SRH SELF-CARE

    This technical brief explores measurement of sexual and reproductive health self-care programs and policies, which is critical for strengthening evidence-based decision-making.

  • Self-Care Advocacy in Action: Senegal’s Coalitions for Self-Care Champions

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) supports civil society organizations in several countries to help create an enabling policy environment for self-care, while also serving as “learning centers” for self-care advocacy. This case s …

  • KIT DE HERRAMIENTAS AUTOCUIDADO PARA CSU

    English Version version française Desde la creación del Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG), los defensores del autocuidado han compartido que uno de los mayores retos a los que se enfrentan es que muy pocas personas entienden lo que es el autocuidado y …

  • KIT DE PLAIDOYER AUTO-SOIN POUR LA CSU

    English Version versión en español Depuis la création du SCTG, les champions de l’auto-soin ont partagé le fait que l’un des plus grands défis auxquels sont confrontés les défenseurs de la cause est que trop peu de gens comprennent ce qu’est l’auto-soi …

  • SELF-CARE FOR UHC ADVOCACY TOOLKIT

    version française versión en español Since the inception of the SCTG, self-care champions have shared that one of the greatest challenges facing advocates is that too few people understand what self-care is and the valuable role it plays within univers …

  • CLIENT-CENTERED APPROACHES TRANSFORM ACCESS TO HIV SERVICES. HERE’S HOW.

    This piece was originally featured on the Population Services International blog. By Daniel Crapper, Madagascar Country Representative, PSI. While 0.3% of Madagascar’s population aged 15-49 lives with HIV, the number of HIV cases is on the ri …

  • Self-Care Advocacy in Action: Spurring Self-Care in Nigeria From the Ground Up

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) supports civil society organizations in several countries to help create an enabling policy environment for self-care, while also serving as “learning centers” for self-care advocacy. This case s …

  • A Spotlight on Strengthening HIV Self-Testing in the Private Sector (SHIPS)

    SHIPS is piloting an insight driven campaign that positions HIVST as part of HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.

  • PlusProject | Mozambique

    Mozambique Country Context According to the World Malaria Report 2022, Mozambique was one of the four countries in the African Region with more malaria cases reported globally. The entire country is considered to be at risk for malaria, but transmissio …

  • PlusProject | Resources

    RESOURCES Resource Type Language Country

  • PlusProject | Cote d’Ivoire 

    Cote d’Ivoire Country Context Malaria prevalence is highly variable across the country, from 3% prevalence in Abidjan to over 60% prevalence in the West and Southwest Regions. According to the World Malaria Report 2019, there was an increase in the rep …

  • PlusProject | Benin

    Benin Country Context Endemic in Benin, malaria is the leading cause of consultation (45%), hospitalization (32%) and mortality (15%) in health facilities, according to the 2021 Health Statistics Yearbook. Among infants under one year of age, the incid …

  • PlusProject | Countries

    [PlusProjectMap] Where we work Focus Countries Plus Countries Benin CameroonCote d’Ivoire MozambiqueGhanaDRCZambia

  • PlusProject | Partner Perspectives

    Partner Perspectives BeninDr. William Houndjo Dr. William Houndjo, Head of Chemoprevention Department, NMCP, has been an active participant in Plus Project activities since taking on his role as the NMCP focal point for the project. From his attendance …

  • PlusProject | Cameroon

    cameroon Country Context Endemic throughout the country, malaria is a major public health threat in Cameroon. The 2021 World Malaria Report shows a gradual increase in the number of malaria cases reported, from 1.6 million to 2.8 million cases, as well …

  • A Spotlight on Research for Scalable Solutions (R4S)

    The Research for Scalable Solutions project is conducting implementation science research to answer priority family planning questions that will strengthen programs and policies on self-care, High Impact Practices, and equity.

  • Leveraging Online Ecosystems for Self-Care Among Healthcare Professionals

    Leaders across the world, including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and others are leveraging technological platforms to reach and influence Pakistani students and young graduates in advancing self-care.

  • PlusProject | Approaches

    APPROACHES 01 Co-Design At the start of the Plus Project, the country specific models of PMC were not yet designed, but instead were developed through a country-led co-design process completed in late 2021 for Benin, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire and for …

  • PlusProject

    THE PLUS PROJECT REDUCING MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY DUE TO MALARIA AND ANEMIA IN CHILDREN UNDER 2 About the project The Plus Project is a 4.25-year Unitaid-funded project that will co-design, pilot, and evaluate country-adapted models of Perennial Malari …

  • Highlights from the SCTG Second Annual Member Summit

    This was an opportunity for Self-Care Trailblazers to come together and look back on their experiences, lessons learned, and achievements in 2021– and forward to 2022 and beyond.

  • A Landmark Ruling on Abortion in Kenya: What it means for women, girls, and self-care

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin As Executive Director of the Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK)—the newest SCTG National Self-Care Network—Nelly Munyasia is well versed in the global fight for reproductive justice. On March 2 …

  • Build the Health Workforce Back Better

    We asked frontline workers, health workforce experts and advocates to share why self-care matters to them—and to their clients.

  • Nigeria Launches the National Self-Care Guideline

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Banner Photo Description: L to R, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Minister for Health, Resident Representative UNFPA Nigeria, Commissioner for Health Cross Rivers State along with r …

  • A Spotlight on RHNK

    RHNK network providers and youth peer providers during a community engagement on DMPA -SC

  • Local leaders drive progress in contraceptive self-care

    How “Self-Injection Ambassadors” across Africa are expanding contraceptive access and choice for women and girls This post was originally featured on the PATH blog.By Bonnie Keith, Beth Balderston and Megan Shawcross, PATH.Introducing and scaling up an …

  • SCTG Second Annual Members Summit

     The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is excited to announce we will be hosting our Second Annual Member Summit. Don’t miss out on an engaging event that will spotlight accomplishments in self-care over the last year. Self-care experts will examine t …

  • GETTING HANDS-ON WITH E-LEARNING: A NEW DIGITAL ALTERNATIVE FOR TRAINING PROVIDERS ON SELF-INJECTION

    Amid a global pandemic, people around the world have learned to adapt from in-person meetings and trainings to more nimble and flexible digital platforms—and healthcare providers are no exception. COVID-19 restrictions forced organizations to reimagine …

  • A Companion to Digital Sexual and Reproductive Health

    Meet Tina: she’s the friend that every woman needs—she is discreet, available whenever necessary and gives advice tailored to your needs. And she’s a virtual companion who provides easy access to sexual and reproductive health information. Accessible t …

  • Member Spotlight: mDoc

     Digital Self-care Delivery for Women of Reproductive Age in Sub-Saharan AfricaOver 800 women die every day in pregnancy and childbirth globally, according to the World Health Organisation. In Nigeria specifically, UNICEF’s data shows a maternal mortal …

  • Social and Behavior Change Self-Care Framework

    View Resource Sexual and reproductive self-care is strongly influenced by the social, cultural, and structural context in which individuals and couples live. Social and behavioral determinants including health literacy, motivation, agency, social norms …

  • Supporting Youth Through Self-Care

    Download Resource On April 7th 2021, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group held their very first community forum, led by youth for youth. Young people (those under 30 years old) shared their perspectives on the role of self-care and the promise it holds in a …

  • Senegal National Self-Care Network

    SENEGAL NATIONAL SELF-CARE NETWORK The Senegal National Self-Care Network was established in October 2019 to coordinate self-care advocacy at the national level in order to transform the healthcare system and place autonomy, power, and control in the h …

  • Nigeria National Self-Care Network

    NIGERIA NATIONAL SELF-CARE NETWORK The Nigeria National Self-Care Network was established in October 2019 to coordinate self-care advocacy at the national level in order to transform the healthcare system and place autonomy, power, and control in the h …

  • Evidence Workstreams

    Evidence Workstreams PREVIOUS AND ONGOING EVIDENCE WORKSTREAMS DIGITAL SELF-CARE FRAMEWORK Purpose: Provide practical guidance for effectively designed, implemented and researched digital health in support of self-care addressing 4 key domains: account …

  • Country Advocacy Working Group

    Country Advocacy Working Group The Country Advocacy Working Group (CAWG) aims to grow and provide a community of and for individuals and organizations who are working, or interested in working, to advance self-care through policy, programmatic, and pub …

  • EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The SCTG Executive Committee advises on the SCTG’s overarching structure, functions, and governance, and consists of representatives of the Coalition Steering Committee and the Program Advisory Committee.The Executive Committee meet …

  • Strategy & Terms of Reference

    STRATEGY & TERMS OF REFERENCE Strategic Plan 2021-2025 The Self-Care Trailblazer Group’s work is guided by a Strategic Plan that outlines its vision, goals, and objectives for the five-year period from January 2021 through December 2025. It reflect …

  • Program Advisory Committee

    PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Program Advisory Committee (PAC) advises on the SCTG’s programmatic functions in the logic framework. It is made up of donors supporting the SCTG, chairs of the SCTG working groups, and designated leads for each National …

  • Overcoming Client Fear to Self-Inject: Consumer Insights Light a Path toward DMPA-SC Scale-Up

    Self-care presents an opportunity to strengthen overstretched health systems by offering delivery efficiencies while placing people at the center of its design. Countries around the world are recognizing this potential, many of whom are adopting and ad …

  • Global Advocacy & Communications Working Group

    GLOBAL ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS WORKING GROUP The Global Advocacy & Communications Working Group (GAC) leads a coordinated advocacy, outreach, and communications effort at the global and regional levels to support a joint advocacy strategy for the …

  • SELF-CARE FOR UHC ADVOCACY TOOLKIT

    SELF-CARE FOR UHC ADVOCACY TOOLKIT The SCTG is launching tools aimed to equip self-care champions with the resources they need to effectively advocate for the inclusion of self-care in health systems and universal health coverage (UHC).  The toolk …

  • Brochure about the Self-Care Trailblazer Group

    Download Resource The Self-Care Trailblazer Group Brochure defines self-care and explains why the need for self-care is so great, and the transformative power of self-care. This tool also shares information about the SCTG, what we are doing to address …

  • Policy Brief Template

    Download Resource This Policy Brief Template provides country-level advocates with the template of a policy brief on Scaling Up Self-Care in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The template contains information on self-care and the impact it can have on he …

  • Common Self-Care Terms

    Download Resource Common Self-Care Terms have been developed to ensure self-care champions have a common set of terms and a shared language when talking about self-care. The definitions focus on how people practice self-care and are aligned with the Wo …

  • FAQ and Tough Questions about Self-Care

    Download Resource The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) provides answers to the most common questions people have about self-care and the self-care movement. The FAQ shares information about self-care, the movement, and the work we’re doing at the SCTG. …

  • Infographic on Self-Care and UHC

    Download Resource This infographic illustrates the relationship between advancing self-care and strengthening health systems for all. The infographic aims to make the connection between self-care and UHC, address how self-care can help address many of …

  • Self-Care Messaging Platform

    Download Resource This messaging framework is designed to help advocates, resource mobilizers, and communications professionals make the case to influencers, policymakers, and leaders to prioritize self-care, as an essential approach to increasing acce …

  • Insights That Ignite Action to Advance Self-Care

    By Kimberly Whipkey, White Ribbon Alliance; Elesha Kingshott, Global Advocacy and Communications Consultant; and Stephanie A. Kim, Population Services InternationalAs we rang in 2022, the world still found itself in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, …

  • WHO Guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being

    View Resource The purpose of this guideline is to provide evidence based normative guidance that will support individuals, communities and countries with quality health services and self-care interventions based on primary healthcare strategies, compre …

  • Self-Care and UHC: Paving the Road to Health Equity

    By Sandy Garçon, Senior Communications Manager, Population Services International and Co-Chair, Global Advocacy and Communications Working Group, Self-Care Trailblazer Group Less than a decade ago, the idea that most countries in the world would commit …

  • Get Inspired by 3 Self-Care Youth Advocates

    Back in April, three self-care youth advocates got together to host a podcast on the importance of self-care advocacy. Eight months later, we’re checking in with our youth leaders to explore what they’ve been up since and the role they’re playing to ma …

  • Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series (2021): Insights that Ignite

    Download Resource White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) and the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) developed Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series (2021): Insights that Ignite, a report that collates powerful content across the 16 self-care sessions at the Dis …

  • Self-Care Pioneers lead the way in Senegal

    By Farmata Seye, Program Associate, Self-Care project, PATH, Senegal; and Ida Ndione, Senior Program Officer, Noncommunicable Diseases, PATH, Senegal The urgency of centering people as advocates for their own health has never been greater as health sys …

  • Scaling Up HIV Self-Testing to Achieve UHC

    By Karin Hatzold, Associate Director & Project Director, HIV, PSIThe impact of COVID-19 on HIV services is of particular concern in sub-Saharan Africa  COVID-19 has overwhelmed health systems in many countries and lockdowns have disrupted access to …

  • Advancing Menstrual Equity at the Intersection of Self-Care and Universal Health Coverage

    Haley Millet, Advocacy and Program Manager, Days for Girls International This year on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of good health and wellbeing for all by 2030 may feel formidable — especially i …

  • Self-Care . . . Everywhere? A call to action to advance self-care for sexual and reproductive health and rights in humanitarian and fragile settings

    Authors: Erin Wheeler (IRC), Roopan Gill (Vitala Global), Hannah Tappis (Jhpiego), Angel M. Foster (University of Ottawa), and Andrea Edman (IAWG/IRC)*All authors are members of the Inter-agency Working Group for Reproductive Health in Crisis (IAWG)In …

  • Digital health-enhancing self-care to achieve universal health coverage

    The importance of empowered individuals and communities is often missing when we talk about health systems. The primary healthcare momentum built up following the signing of the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978 did not quite manage to break this mold, part …

  • Power of Co-Designed Digital Self-Care Tools for Sexual and Reproductive Health to Realize UHC for All

    Author(s): Roopan Gill MD MPH (Vitala Global Foundation), Genevieve Tam MD MSc (Vitala Global Foundation) Digital self-care has the potential to bridge gaps between the formal and community based models of service delivery for sexual and reproductive h …

  • Self-care and UHC: Opportunities and challenges of healthcare systems financing

    The Financing Alliance for Health (FAH) is a partnership established in 2016 that works with governments on financing strategies for primary and community health systems that operate at scale and are financially sustainable over time. To learn more abo …

  • 12 DAYS OF UHC 2021

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin The world has committed to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. But with half of the world’s population currently without access to essential health services, meeting that goal will be …

  • Leave no one’s health behind: self-care as a key component of health systems for all

    By Marielle Hart and Nienke Westerhof  Why now?  Self-care has never been more relevant than now, as health systems around the world are overwhelmed by COVID-19. Governments have increasingly stepped up self-care and digital health interventi …

  • Secretariat

    SECRETARIAT Our roles and responsibilities The Secretariat supports the coalition-building  functions of the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) – including operations, administration, communications, outreach, and global advocacy as well as deliverable …

  • Q&A with Incoming Secretariat Director Dr Sarah Onyango

    Q1: What motivated you to take on the role of Secretariat Director with the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG)?The role of Secretariat Director of the SCTG is within my portfolio as Senior Technical Advisor, Self-Care at Population Services Internation …

  • STAR at ICASA 2021

    STAR INITIATIVE at ICASA 2021 6-10 DECEMBER 2021 Learn how HIV self-testing can help us achieve the UNAIDS global 95-95-95 targets and advance us towards a generation without AIDS in Africa JOIN STAR @ ICASA 2021 Despite decades of progress, an estimat …

  • STAR Events

    events upcoming Events Our Past Events 2024 Conferences Webinars Lessons from Hepatitis C Self-Testing Research and ImplementationIn 2022, the WHO estimated that 58 million people were living with chronic hepatitis C (HCV), yet only 26% were aware of t …

  • Q&A with Outgoing Secretariat Director Sandy Garçon

    After three years, founding Secretariat Director of the Self-Care Trailblazer Group, Sandy Garçon is stepping down. We sat down with him recently to get his thoughts on five big questions. Here’s what he had to say.Q1: How has the Self-Care Trailblazer …

  • 20 ESSENTIAL RESOURCES: SELF-CARE FOR FAMILY PLANNING

    This post was originally featured on the Knowledge Success site.What is self-care?Individual rights and choice have always been fundamental to the practice of family planning, especially the right to make and act on informed decisions about using contr …

  • Does the digital transformation of health services help or harm health workers?

    By Dr. Joanne Peter, Director, Social Innovation, Johnson & JohnsonIn 2021, it’s hard to remember a time when going into the physical branch of a retail bank to engage with a teller was commonplace. Starting with ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) an …

  • DMPA-SC Resource Library

    View Resource Library This resource library has been developed to provide comprehensive information on DMPA-SC evidence, country introduction experiences, service delivery and advocacy tools, and more for global- and country-level family planning imple …

  • HER FUTURE WITH SELF-CARE

    By Katie Anfinson, Technical Advisor II and Tihut Mulugeta, Project Advisor DMPA-SC Self-Inject, PSI Ethiopia This piece was originally featured on the A360 blog. Imagine a world in which every girl has access, privacy, safety and agency to m …

  • A Spotlight on Profamilia

    For this month’s spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on Profamilia, Colombia’s longest-standing, non-governmental organization that provides, protects, and advocates for sexual and reproductive rights and services. Learn more from Ma …

  • Midwives Dispel Common Myths About Self-Care

    By Angelique Mugirente, Program Officer, Jhpiego, Nanuka Thapa, Senior Program Officer, Jhpiego, Vusi Ndaba, Project Officer, Jhpiego, Yvonne Delphine Nsaba-Uwera, University of Rwanda School of Nursing and Midwife. In collaboration with the Self-Care …

  • Self-care and behavior: Women share 7 factors that influence their decisions about self-injection of DMPA-SC

    Much of the past research on self-injection of the contraceptive DMPA-SC focuses on how best to integrate self-injection into health services—as well the feasibility and safety of the product. While these are certainly important considerations, limited …

  • Meet the Team

    DISC LEADERSHIP DISC STAFF

  • Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series: By the Numbers

    View Infographic Organized by the White Ribbon Alliance on behalf of the Self-Care Trailblazer Group, the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series brought together advocates, health providers, government representatives, implementers, journalists, commu …

  • Insights Synthesis Report 

    Download Resource DISC’s Insight Synthesis Report distills over a year of programmatic research findings, looking at self-injection (SI) from a user journey perspective to analyze what drives consumer and provider decisions and attitudes. Read this pit …

  • Connecting Menstrual Health with Self-Care

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin This piece was originally posted on the Menstrual Hygiene Day blog. Key insights from a session organized by Days for Girls, WASH United, MIET Africa in collaboration with the Global Menstrual Collec …

  • A SPOTLIGHT ON COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER MEGAN CHRISTOFIELD

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin A SPOTLIGHT ON SCTG COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER MEGAN CHRISTOFIELDThe Coalition Steering Committee advises the Secretariat and provides oversight of SCTG coalition functions, ensuring a stron …

  • ADVOCACY ENTRY POINTS FOR SELF-CARE IN SRHR

    Visit Resource Advance Family Planning has developed a new tool that helps identify self-care advocacy opportunities. The Advocacy Entry Points for Self-care in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights tool is intended to help advocates identify the m …

  • Launch. Optimize. Repeat: Using Real-Time Digital Data to Increase Campaign Performance

    While upfront investments in demand generation are necessary in any new product introduction, a static approach may not be enough to drive changes in behavior. Real-time data on consumer engagement with digital content provides an opportunity to learn …

  • Partnering with Women from the Start: DISC’s Efforts to Understand Power in the Context of Self-Care

    From the outset, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) consolidated guidance on self-care acknowledges “[t]he principle of autonomy, expressed through free, full and informed decision-making” as particularly relevant in the context of self-care for sex …

  • STAR – New Resources Page

    Resources Resource Type Language Country Populations Served Health Area

  • What Women Want: Examining Power and Agency within Self-Injectables

    This piece was originally published on the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) blog.By Alexandrina Nakanwagi, DISC Project Lead“It starts with yourself.”—Mom, KadunaWomen have self-managed their reproductive health needs for decades, including th …

  • What Women Want: Examining Power and Agency within Self-Injectables

    “It starts with yourself.”—Mom, Kaduna Women have self-managed their reproductive health needs for decades, including through the use of contraceptive pills. Contraception has been, and remains, key in women’s ability to pursue life goals, including th …

  • Join Us in Celebrating International Self-Care Day

    July 24th is International Self-Care Day, an annual opportunity to spotlight the value of self-care practices, and the approaches people use every day to prevent illness and maximize their health. This day was established in 2011 to raise awareness of …

  • Membership Spotlight: SCTG Youth Partners

    A Spotlight on Our Youth PartnersFor our July spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is highlighting two of our youth partners, Grassroot Soccer, an adolescent health organization that helps young people overcome their greatest health challenges th …

  • Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights through Self-Care 

    “There can be no gender equality without bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights. But there can be no bodily autonomy and SRHR without gender equality,” said UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. At the recent Genera …

  • Nigeria Self-Care Guideline Summary

    English Version Version Française Versión en Español This is a summary of the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria National Guideline on Self-Care for Sexual, Reproductive, and Maternal Health prepared by the Self-Care Trailblazer Group. It is not an off …

  • An Online Contraceptive Shop?

    Like most global health initiatives, when COVID-19 mushroomed into a worldwide emergency last year, Delivering Innovations in Self-Care (DISC) had to adapt to a set of new and unique needs. Early estimates suggested that millions of …

  • STAR AT IAS2021

    IAS 2021 IAS Conference on HIV ScienceJoin the STAR Initiative and thousands of HIV professionals at this conference to learn critical advances in basic, clinical and operational research. HIV self-testing (HIVST) has shifted the paradigm for HIV testi …

  • A New Tool to Map Self-Care Policy and Practice

    By Andrea Cutherell, Dr. Austen El-Osta, Dr. Sarah Onyango, and Kasey Henderson Countries around the world are advancing self-care policy and practice to strengthen accountable and responsive health systems and to support universal health coverage (UHC …

  • Policy Mapping: Assessing Implementation of the WHO Consolidated Guideline on Self-Care Interventions

    Download Resource In 2020, the Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) at Imperial College London was commissioned by the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) to develop a first of its kind, pragmatic self-care policy and practice mapping tool. The purp …

  • The Role of Supportive Self-Care Environments in Advancing Menstrual Equity

    On Tuesday, June 29th, WASH United, Days for Girls International, and MIET AFRICA in collaboration with the Global Menstrual Collective will be hosting a virtual session at the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series, “Exploring the role of supportive …

  • A Spotlight On New Coalition Steering Committee Member Aïssatou Thioye

    A SPOTLIGHT ON SCTG COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER AISSATOU THIOYE The Coalition Steering Committee advises the Secretariat and provides oversight of SCTG coalition functions, ensuring a strong value proposition for members that is supportive of t …

  • A Spotlight On New Coalition Steering Committee Member Austen El-Osta

    A SPOTLIGHT ON SCTG COALITION STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER AUSTEN EL-OSTA The Coalition Steering Committee advises the Secretariat and provides oversight of SCTG coalition functions, ensuring a strong value proposition for members that is supportive of th …

  • STAR Work

    our work Photo Story Over the past decade, great progress has been made in expanding HIV testing services. Yet in 2019, there were still 8.1 million people with HIV unaware of their HIV positive status. To meet the global 95-95-95 targets, there must b …

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    contact us You can email us at [email protected]

  • Stepping Up Self-Care and Digital Health to End Aids

    On June 7th, Self-Care Trailblazer Group members hosted a side event on the margins of the UN High Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS. This event placed a spotlight on how to scale up existing self-care and digital health interventions as we rethink the cur …

  • Self-care Learning and Discovery Series French

    Les Rendez-vous Savoirs et Découverte sur l’Autosoin Du 24 juin au 27 août 2021 ENGLISH VERSION VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL À propos de la série de rendez-vous Les Rendez-vous Savoirs et Découverte de l’Autosoin constituent un forum virtuel très interactif où l …

  • Self-care Learning and Discovery Series Spanish

    Serie de Aprendizaje y Descubrimiento de la Autoasistencia 24 de junio – 27 de agosto 2021 ENGLISH VERSION VERSION FRANÇAISE Acerca de la Serie La Serie de Aprendizaje y Descubrimiento de la Autoasistencia es un foro virtual muy interactivo, en el que …

  • Drug shops: Bringing access and choice closer to women in Uganda

    Today, in Uganda, a woman can walk into a drug shop and, after training, walk out with a nine-month supply of contraceptives that she can self-inject in the privacy and comfort of her own home. For women all over the country, this is good news. In Ugan …

  • Events

    Events Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series 🕑 24 June 2021 to 27 August 2021 📍 Online Event Mark your calendars! The inaugural SCTG Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series will be taking place from 24 June – 24 July 2021. With 12 eng …

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  • A Spotlight on a New Coalition Steering Committee Member

    A Spotlight on SCTG Coalition Steering Committee member Milka DinevThe Coalition Steering Committee advises the Secretariat and provides oversight of SCTG coalition functions, ensuring a strong value proposition for members that is supportive of the SC …

  • Self-Care: For Youth, By Youth

    With more than 1 billion youth—people between the ages of 15 and 24— around the world, the obstacles that they face while accessing health services are great. Limited educational resources and a lack of access to digital health content make gaining kno …

  • SCTG Blog Archive Page

    blog content Sign up for updates

  • Resource Library

    Resource Library Browse our clearinghouse of self-care related resources. Sign up for updates Resource Type Topics Health Areas Self-Care Interventions Languages Focus Countries SCTG Workstreams

  • Momentum Private Health Delivery

    MOMENTUM will harnesses the potential of the private sector in mixed health systems, by strengthening the supply and demand to expand access to and use of evidence-based, high-quality health information, products, business skills and services offered b …

  • TUBITEHO Health Activity

    The project provides technical support in the areas of public-sector malaria interventions, including mobile clinics; private sector FP, Maternal and Child Health, malaria, nutrition and gender based violence interventions; implementation of effective …

  • Welcome New SCTG Steering Committee Members

    We are delighted to formally welcome and introduce the eight new members of the SCTG Coalition Steering Committee. But first, we want to express our deepest appreciation for the stellar partners—Martha Brady, Holly Burke, Janet Holt, Kristy Kade, Pierr …

  • A Spotlight on Transform Health

    A SPOTLIGHT ON TRANSFORM HEALTHExpanding the use of digital self-care to reach UHCFor this month’s spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on Transform Health, a global coalition of organisations and individuals committed to achieving Un …

  • Four Considerations when Developing National Self-Care Guidelines

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin By Sandy Garçon, Head of SCTG Secretariat and Kasey Henderson, SCTG Secretariat MemberAs the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, we have seen our already stretched health systems face additiona …

  • Four Considerations when Developing National Self-Care Guidelines

    As the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, we have seen our already stretched health systems face additional strains under the pandemic with millions of individuals unable to access care.Self-care interventions, while not new,  are among the most …

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  • NATIONAL SELF-CARE NETWORKS

    Country Engagement The Self-Care Trailblazer Group supports the emergence of National Self-Care Networks (NSN), working to advance self-care in their respective countries.SCTG National Self-Care Networks contributes to building a coordinated, diverse, …

  • Creating Safe Spaces for Sexual and Reproductive Health Education

    It’s a scene right out of a movie: a hair salon where amidst manicures, pedicures, hair dryers and straighteners, women chat freely about things that matter to them; or a group of men at the barbershop cracking jokes and laughing, talking through a myr …

  • 2021 Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series

    2021 Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series 24 June – 27 August 2021 VERSION FRANÇAISE VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL SCLADS HOMEPAGE about sclads 2021 The first edition of the Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series featured 16 virtual sessions organized by dive …

  • la valeur ajoutée de l’autosoin

    By Ida Ndione, Senior Program Manager, PATHBanner Image: Gabe Bienczycki, PATH« Je veux pouvoir gérer ma santé même quand je ne peux pas voir un prestataire de soin », ou la valeur ajoutée de l’autosoin.On pourrait énumérer les innombrables avantages q …

  • 2021-2025 Strategic Plan

    Download Resource This document outlines the first strategy of the SCTG and covers the five-year period from January 2021 through December 2025. It reflects a new phase for the SCTG, when evidence, policies, and practices to advance self-care are poise …

  • International Women’s Day 2021

    COVID has changed life as we know it. One thing, however, has remained constant: women and girls’ health priorities do not pause for a pandemic. Responding to their needs, their way is as urgent as ever. Amidst COVID-19, the barriers between women and …

  • Her journey, her choice

    It might seem obvious that the development of sexual and reproductive health options, including self-injectable contraceptives, should be centered around women’s needs and wants. You might assume that a woman would be provided with many options and tha …

  • Self-Care Community Forum Series

    Self-care Community forum series When individuals are given the opportunity to become active agents in their health, this leads to improved health outcomes and helps achieve universal health coverage. Self-care has the potential to transform healthcare …

  • DEVELOPING NATIONAL SELF-CARE GUIDELINES IN UGANDA AND NIGERIA

    English Version Version Française Versión en Español This case study summarizes how the FMOH in Nigeria and the MOH in Uganda pioneered national guidelines for self-care in 2020 – among the first national self- care guidelines in the world – as the fir …

  • Quality of Care Framework for Self-Care

    Download Resource Population Services International (PSI) and a consortium of organizations under the auspices of the Self-Care Trailblazers Working Group have developed a Quality of Care Framework for Self-care aligned with th …

  • DEVELOPING NATIONAL SELF-CARE GUIDELINES IN UGANDA AND NIGERIA

    English Version Version Française Versión en Español Self-care, while not a new concept or term, has received greater attention and relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic as an innovative approach to reduce pressure on strained health systems, empower …

  • A Spotlight on White Ribbon Alliance

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin A SPOTLIGHT ON WRAPutting communities at the center of global, national, and local efforts to advance self-careFor this month’s spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on the White Rib …

  • Choosing and Using the Progesterone Vaginal Ring: Women’s Lived Experiences in Three African Cities

    Download Resource This study explored experiences of selecting and utilizing a newly introduced contraceptive – the progesterone vaginal ring (PVR) – among women seeking a contraceptive method in 3 African capital cities (Abuja, Nairobi, and Senegal). …

  • Le premier sommet annuel des membres du Self-Care Trailblazer Group

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Chers collègues,Merci d’avoir rejoint le premier sommet annuel des membres du Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) le 18 février 2021.Plus de 180 participants de 39 pays et de 75 organisations différen …

  • SELF-CARE: EXERCISING THE POWER WE HOLD

    My mother raised me to believe that I am in charge of my own life, including my sexual and reproductive health. So, when at the age of 12 I decided that I would have four children, I made a plan to do just that. As I continued with my education, my car …

  • The First Annual SCTG Member Summit

    Become a member of the SCTG On 18 February 2021, more than 180 participants across 39 countries and from 75 different organizations tuned in to our inaugural Annual Member Summit to hear about upcoming opportunities and exciting changes happening withi …

  • Membership Spotlight: Ylabs

    A SPOTLIGHT ON YLABSDESIGNING PROGRAMMING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, NOT FOR THEMTo kick off our 2021 membership spotlight series, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on YLabs, a team of physicians, designers, economists, developers, public health prof …

  • Choice in her hands: challenging provider bias to support reproductive self-care

    By Raveena Chowdhury, Head of Integrated Service Delivery at MSI Reproductive Choices.At MSI Reproductive Choices, for over 40 years, we have remained committed to de-medicalizing reproductive healthcare and putting choice in the hands of our clients. …

  • Promoting Self-Care for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Nigeria and Uganda During COVID-19

    Download Resource LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2020 (UPDATED JANUARY 2021) AND IMPLEMENTED IN NIGERIA AND UGANDA BY POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL (PSI), POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL UGANDA, AND THE SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HEALTH, THE FIVE-YEAR DISC PROJECT …

  • Self-Care at #NotWithoutFP Forum

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Not without FP Forum, hosted by the International Conference on Family Planning, will have a virtual community dialogue on universal health coverage (UHC) and Covid-19 on February 2nd and 3rd. Sessio …

  • It’s time to make self-injectable contraceptives a norm in Uganda

    By Precious Mutoru, Advocacy and Partnerships Coordinator, PSI UgandaEarlier this month, I spoke with Dr. Livingstone Makanga, Assistant Commissioner Reproductive and Infant Health Division at Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MoH), to talk about sexual and …

  • Our Year in Review

    As we come to the close of the year, it’s incredible to think the end of 2020 is upon us. From a global pandemic to economic uncertainty and heightened social and political tensions, this year has brought a number of “unprecedented challenges” into eve …

  • Member Spotlight: FHI360

    A SPOTLIGHT ON FHI 360A 360-DEGREE APPROACH TO HEALTH CAREFor this month’s spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on FHI 360, an international nonprofit working to improve health in over 60 countries worldwide. Learn more from Steering …

  • Resource search results

    DISC Resource Search Results Filter by resource type Select Resource typeAll resource types  -Research  -Story  -Technical publication  -Tool Filter by language Select Language/sAll languages  -English …

  • Self-Care: Good for People’s Health and Good for Health Systems

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Realizing UHC needs during the COVID pandemic and beyond

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Time for a Fresh Look at a Time-Tested Strategy to Achieve Universal Health Coverage

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • DISC Project Overview

    Download Resource LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2020 AND IMPLEMENTED IN NIGERIA AND UGANDA BY POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL (PSI), POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL UGANDA, AND THE SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HEALTH, THE FIVE-YEAR DISC PROJECT AIMS TO DEMONSTRATE THA …

  • Self-Care is a Key Pillar to Realizing UHC—And Advocacy Can Help Us Get There

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Health For All: Protect Everyone

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Self-Care as a means to end AIDS and achieve Universal Health Coverage: Now more important than ever!

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Self-care is a driver for universal health coverage 

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Girl Effect’s Chhaa Jaa | #MobileDoctor

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • SHOWCASING HOW YOUTH AND SELF-CARE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF UHC

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Delivering health care for prisoners in Zimbabwe

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Five ways advocates can help ensure that self-care is part of universal health care

    Join the SCTG as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all. Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is part of the solution to achieving our goal — build …

  • Reaching Beyond 90-90-90: A Paradigm Shift for HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care

    On this year’s World AIDS Day, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) kicks off our 12 Days of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) from 1 to 12 December 2020 . The connection between ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic and ensuring health for all are inextricably …

  • 12 Days of UHC

    Join the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) as we celebrate UHC Day to promote health for all and protect everyone.Throughout our 12 Days of UHC series, SCTG members and partners share insights and lessons from their organizations on how self-care is p …

  • Involving Women from the Very Start

    Twenty-one-year-old Winifred Buhari loves chocolate and traveling and is about to start her studies in computer science — interests that are not unusual for a young girl her age. But unlike many of her peers in Nigeria, Winifred has an open and transpa …

  • Expanding access and choice

    As a woman, deciding whether to use contraceptives, and which ones to use, has always been a deeply personal and ideally, a private decision. I distinctly remember the pharmacist who loudly verified my age as I pointed, blushing, at the “Plan B” emerge …

  • Is it possible to transform health during COVID-19 using marketing strategies?

    COVID-19 poses a direct health threat to nearly everyone in the world and affects our well-being in countless ways. As we continue to respond to a global emergency that is both driving up the demand for basic health services and constraining access to …

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  • WHO self-care guidelines

    Download Resource WHO self-care guidelinesWHO consolidated guideline on self-care interventions for health: sexual and reproductive health and rightsResource Types:GUIDES AND TOOLKITSLanguages:ENGLISHPopulation Served:GENERAL POPULATIONPractice Areas:S …

  • ExpandNet/WHO Scaling-up Tools and Resources

    Visit Resource Library ExpandNet, in collaboration with WHO, has produced several guidance documents based on literature reviews and the extensive experience of its members. These tools are intended for policy makers, program managers, funders, project …

  • Youth Power2 Resources

    Visit Resource Library YouthPowerChanging the world by unlocking the power of young peopleResource Types:GUIDES AND TOOLKITSLanguages:ENGLISHPopulation Served:GENERAL POPULATIONPractice Areas:SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHYear:2020Projects:DELIVERING …

  • Interagency Gender Working Group Resources

    Visit Resource Directory IGWG’s training materials can be used to introduce a broad range of audiences and backgrounds to important concepts related to gender and health. Each training course focuses on one of five themes that complement the CORE Gende …

  • Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA

    Download Resource This pack contains the latest evidence and messaging on DMPA-SC and SI. The Advocacy Pack for Subcutaneous DMPA is designed to accelerate your advocacy efforts. It consists of evidence-based materials, in English and French, for …

  • Impact Magazine #26
  • Membership Spotlight: Y-ACT

    A Spotlight on Y-ActIncreasing Capacity of Kenyan Youth to Shift the SRH policy landscapeFor this month’s spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on Y-ACT, an initiative of Amref Health Africa based in Kenya. Learn more from Y-ACT’s Beat …

  • THE SELF-CARE TOOLS FOR BUILDING A BETTER TOMORROW

    This post was originally featured on the Breakthrough ACTION and RESEARCH blog. Written by Kasey Henderson, Advocacy Coordinator, Population Services International, and Susan Leibtag, Compass Curator, Breakthrough ACTION As the COVID-19 pandemic contin …

  • Where there are few screens: Digital training for self-care in the pandemic and beyond

    by Beth Balderston, Communications Officer and Dr. Jane Cover, Research and Evaluation Manager, PATHContraceptive self-injection holds great potential for expanding women’s family planning options by putting the power of prevention directly in women’s …

  • Digital self-care: A data-driven approach to person-centered health in low- and middle-income countries

    This post was originally featured on the Global Self-Care Federation’s blog. Patricia N. Mechael PhD MHS, Co-founder and Policy Lead at not-for-profit HealthEnabled discusses how the evolution of digital technology has moved self-care into a new realm …

  • About Us

    About Us DISC is five-year project funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation that supports women to assume greater power and control over their sexual and reproductive health by using contraceptive self-care methods like self-inject—which can …

  • Contact Us

    Contact Us You can email us at [email protected] or fill out the form below

  • A New Framework for Digital Self-Care

    By: Kasey Henderson, Advocacy Coordinator and Amanda Kalamar, Senior Research Advisor for Sexual and Reproductive Health COVID-19 has changed the way we live and access health services. As health systems and people transition towards self-care to shore …

  • Updates + Stories

    Updates & Stories Read first-hand accounts and updates from our team, our partners and users of contraceptive self-injection themselves.

  • Explore Resources

    DISC & Partner Resources Resource Type Languages Countries

  • How We Work

    How We Work When it comes to reproductive health, our priority is to provide women with contraceptive options and to support them in the decisions they make about family planning. We accomplish this through interventions to support user and provider be …

  • About Self-Injection

    Contraception on her own terms Self-inject offers women and girls a highly effective, convenient, and discreet way to protect against unintended pregnancies – for three months at a time. It can be safely and easily self-administered by women in the com …

  • Webinar: HIV Self-Testing Scale Up and Health Systems

    This piece was originally published on Population Services International’s blog.Four decades into the HIV epidemic, an estimated 25% of people with HIV, more than 9 million people, remain undiagnosed. HIV self-testing (HIVST) is vital to close the HIV  …

  • About the DISC Initiative
  • A Spotlight on the Ministry of Health in Uganda

    A CONVERSATION WITH DR. Olaro on World Contraception Day Each month, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group places a spotlight on our members and their achievements. This month, we put the spotlight on the Director of Clinical Services and Seni …

  • Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) MICROSITE

    WOMAN-POWERED CARE What if women were the change agents of their own sexual and reproductive health? What if health systems supported them? Learn more INTERVENTIONS IN NIGERIA, UGANDA, AND MALAWI Driven by deep consumer insights, DISC supports women to …

  • Digital Self-Care Framework

    Download Resource Recent developments in health practices that were once in the full control of healthcare professionals and can now be safely self-administered have created a shift in thinking about how individuals engage in self-care. With the expans …

  • Member Spotlight: The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya

    A SPOTLIGHT ON The Pharmaceutical Society of KenyaA conversation with Dr. Munene, CEO of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya and self-injection ambassadorThe Self-injection Ambassadors Initiative is an effort led by the subcutaneous DMPA (DMPA-SC) Acce …

  • Women and Girls Must Spark Self-Care Movement

    By Tariah Adams, Communications & Advocacy Officer, White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria This post was originally featured on White Ribbon Alliance’s blog. Ushafa is a community in Abuja, Nigeria home to many farmers, petty traders and low-income earners. …

  • How a New Self-Care Product is Meeting Women’s Unique Needs During COVID-19

    By Alexandra Angel, Technical Advisor, Sexual & Reproductive Health, PSI As COVID-19 disrupts access to essential healthcare across the globe, it is more important than ever to offer a wide range of voluntary family planning (FP) options including …

  • Membership Spotlight: Jhpiego

    A SPOTLIGHT ON JhpiegoCatalyzing HIV self-testing initiatives in MalawiFor this month’s spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on Jhpiego, an international non-profit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. Learn m …

  • A NEW QUALITY OF CARE FRAMEWORK TO MEASURE AND RESPOND TO PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCE WITH SELF-CARE

    This post was originally featured on Knowledge Success’ Blog.by Alexandra Angel, Christine Bixiones, Dorine Irankunda, Milly Kaggwa, Eva Lathrop and Pierre Moon, PSI; and Megan Christofield, JhpiegoTo mark International Self-Care Day, Population Servic …

  • International Self-Care Day and Beyond! Building Health Systems Better for Tomorrow

    Tomorrow, July 24th marks International Self-Care Day, an annual opportunity to put a spotlight on self-care and the benefits that effective self-care can bring to both individuals and health systems as a vital foundation of health care. Throughout the …

  • Member Spotlight: Marie Stopes International

    A Spotlight on Marie Stopes InternationalEnabling Safe Self-Care during COVID-19For our second member spotlight, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is focusing on Marie Stopes International (MSI), a global organization working to deliver reproductive choi …

  • Do it yourself! Why “self-care” is required in the global response to HIV now and after COVID-19

    Benjamin Eveslage, Technical Advisor for Online HIV Services, FHI 360The global response to HIV is now threatened on many fronts: insufficient funding, myriad challenges posed by COVID-19, and slow adoption of new HIV service technologies and delivery …

  • Membership Spotlight: Aidsfonds

    Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin A Spotlight on AidsfondsThe Power of Self-Care Interventions in the Fight Against HIVBeginning this month, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group is placing a spotlight on our members and their achievements …

  • International Self-Care Day 2020

    This International Self-Care Day, July 24th, we are faced with an opportunity to reimagine our health care systems. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, it has presented us with a chance to transform the status quo, shore up stressed healt …

  • CONSOLIDATED GUIDELINES ON HIV TESTING SERVICES FOR A CHANGING EPIDEMIC

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE People’s knowledge of their own, and their partners’, HIV status is essential to the success of the HIV response. The overarching goals of providing HIV testing services (HTS) are to deliver a diagnosis and to effectively facilitate a …

  • HIV SELF-TESTING: KEY QUESTIONS, ANSWERS AND MESSAGES FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Self-testing enables people to test themselves for HIV conveniently and in private. This new testing option may encourage more people to test themselves who previously held back from visiting a testing facility. Community- and faith-b …

  • HIVST Operational Guide, Section 1: Diagnosis

    hiv self-testing (HIVST) operational guide section 1: diagnosis This section will help you understand the epidemic profile of target countries, identify key populations and testing gaps and map HIVST-relevant policies and regulations. 01 Preparing to i …

  • About the STAR Initiative

    About the Star Initiative Catalytic fundingfor HIV Self-Testing Market development STAR is a Unitaid-funded initiative launched in 2005 with three key goals: to catalyze the global market for HIV self-testing (HIVST), to generate evidence for decision- …

  • HIVST Operational Guide, Section 2: Planning

    hivst operational guide section 2: Planning This section will guide you in making the right preparations to ensure that your HIVST program will be a success. Planning to Implement HIVST Program Components In order to achieve the desired outcomes of inc …

  • Self-Care at AIDS2020

    Self-care is how individuals protect their own health, prevent disease, and treat illness, both with and without the support of a healthcare provider. Interventions such as condoms, HIV self-testing, oral PrEP, self-sampling for STIs, and digital solut …

  • WHO Global Model Regulatory Framework for Medical Devices

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The Model recommends guiding principles, harmonized definitions and specifies the attributes of effective and efficient regulation, to be embodied within binding and enforceable law. Its main elements refer to international harmonizat …

  • WHO Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Testing Services

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The Consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services bring together existing guidance relevant to the provision of HIV testing services (HTS) and addresses issues and elements for effective delivery of HTS that are common in a variety …

  • WHO Consolidated Strategic Information Guidelines for HIV in the Health Sector

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE This guidance consolidates, prioritizes and describes key indicators to monitor the national and global response of the health sector to HIV. Its goal is to help countries choose, collect and systematically analyse strategic informati …

  • Global Advocacy Questions

    Objectives: Gather a diverse range of perspectives to define the Self-Care Trailblazer Group’s (SCTG) global advocacy priorities in the next 12 – 18 months and the resources that members can contribute to the global advocacy efforts.Method: Phone calls …

  • Engaging Communities in Self-Care for Covid-19 Response: What will it take?

    This post originally appeared on White Ribbon Alliance’s website.  By Angela Nguku, Executive Director White Ribbon Alliance Kenya and Kristy Kade, Deputy Executive Director, White Ribbon Alliance Global Secretariat  Since Covid19 was declared a global …

  • CONSIDERATIONS FOR HIV SELF-TESTING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS RESPONSE: AN OPERATIONAL UPDATE

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a major global health threat. It has caused worldwide disruptions, such as economic slow- …

  • MONICA VS SEXUAL HEALTH STIGMA

    This post was originally featured on VSO International’s blog.Volunteer Monica Atim has spent the past three years making sure that young people in some of the most remote and marginalised communities of Zambia have access to essential sexual and repro …

  • Community-led delivery of HIV self-testing to improve HIV testing, ART initiation and broader social outcomes in rural Malawi: study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Prevention of new HIV infections is a critical public health issue. The highest HIV testing gaps are in men, adolescents 15–19 years old, and adults 40 years and older. Community-based HIV testing services (HTS) can contribute to incr …

  • Using research networks to generate trustworthy qualitative public health research findings from multiple contexts

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Qualitative research networks (QRNs) bring together researchers from diverse contexts working on multi-country studies. The networks may themselves form a consortium or may contribute to a wider research agenda within a consortium wit …

  • Resource Library

    Resource Library Browse the complete STAR library to find scientific publications, training materials, program planning tools, country case studies, trouble-shooting material and many other valuable resources. Sign up for updates Realizing the potentia …

  • STAR Initiative @ AIDS2020 Virtual

    Join STAR @ AIDS2020: Virtual COVID-19 has sounded a wake-up call for the global HIV response: we must bring HIV prevention and treatment services out of the clinic and closer to those who need it.  Critical HIV testing services are only available in a …

  • WHO RECOMMENDS HIV SELF-TESTING

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an empowering and innovative way to reach more people with HIV and help achieve the first of the United Nation’s 90–90–90 targets – for 90% of all people with HIV to know their status by 2020. Expanded use …

  • HIV SELF-TESTING AT THE WORKPLACE

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Despite considerable scale-up of HIV testing services, many people are left behind, particularly men, adolescents, young women, and members of key populations. Without further scale-up of strategies that make HIV testing services more …

  • HIV SELF-TESTING STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV testing services have been scaled up considerably worldwide. Between 2010 and 2014 more than 600 million people received HIV testing services in 122 low- and middle- income countries (LMIC). In 2017, it was estimated that, globall …

  • WHO RECOMMENDS HIV SELF- TESTING – EVIDENCE UPDATE AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR SUCCESS

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a convenient and confidential option for HIV testing. In 2016 WHO recommended HIVST as a safe, accurate and effective way to reach people who may not test otherwise, including people from key populations, m …

  • WHO Guidelines on Self-Testing and Partner Notification

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Since the release of the WHO consolidated guidelines in 2015, new evidence has emerged. Consequently, in an effort to further support countries, programme managers, health workers and other stakeholders seeking to achieve national and …

  • Frequently asked questions – Testing for HIV, including HIV self-testing, in the context of antiretroviral therapy (ART)

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV testing in the context of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs has become increasingly complex.1. Although not recommended, individuals with a known HIV-positive status on antiretroviral therapy (ART) may seek HIV testing services to “check …

  • KNOWING YOUR STATUS–THEN AND NOW

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Globally, an estimated 36.9 million people were living with HIV in 2017. With 1.8 million new cases and nearly 1 million deaths each year, the HIV epidemic remains one of the world’s toughest public health challenges. To combat the ep …

  • HIV Self-Testing Quick Reference Guide

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) should be highly targeted to individuals in groups not currently being reached by existing HIV testing services (HTS). HIVST distribution approaches should be tailored to populations with low testing coverage …

  • hiv self-testing africa initiative brochure

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE In 2014, the United Nations set bold new targets, calling on the global community to ensure that by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV will receive sustained antire …

  • HIV RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR SELF-TESTING

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE This report presents HIV self-testing (HIVST) as an innovative strategy with great potential to contribute to achieving the United Nations (UN) 90–90–90 targets by 2020. It provides updates on the landscape of technologies for HIVST o …

  • Determination of OraQuick® HIV self-test result stability with delayed visual re-reading: An external quality assurance analysis

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Due to the nature of self-testing, conventional quality assurance (QA) methodologies conducted in a professional setting cannot be applied. In the absence of an established external quality assurance (EQA) system to support HIVST impl …

  • Cost-of-testing-per-new-HIV-diagnosis as a metric for monitoring cost-effectiveness of testing programmes in low income settings in Southern Africa

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE As prevalence of undiagnosed HIV declines, it is unclear whether testing programmes will continue be cost-effective. The cost-of-testing-per-new-HIV-diagnosis is a potentially useful metric for monitoring country programmes.We simulat …

  • Does Community-Based Distribution of HIV Self-Test Kits Increase Uptake of HIV testing at Population Level? Results of a Cluster-Randomised Trial in Zambia

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Over the last decade, levels of HIV testing have increased markedly across Zambia. In 2007, 19% of women and 12% of men aged 15-49 years had ever-tested and received the result of an HIV test in the previous 12 months. By 2015-2016, 6 …

  • Increasing knowledge of HIV status and demand for antiretroviral therapy using community-based HIV self-testing in rural communities

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) has potential to reach populations poorly served by facility-based HIV testing services. We used a cluster-randomised trial design to investigate the impact of community-based HIVST distribution on recent HIV …

  • Understanding who accepts and who is reached through secondary distribution of HIVST in a door-to-door trial in Zambia

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE In sub-Saharan Africa, men are harder to reach with HIV-testing services (HTS) than women. HIV self-testing (HIVST) and secondary distribution of HIVST are strategies that may increase men”s HTS uptake. Measuring HIVST outcomes throu …

  • Systematic literature review of critical gaps in costs and cost-effectiveness analyses of HIV testing services in sub-Saharan Africa

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV testing services (HTS) have undergone dramatic changes in recent years, and the most recent and the most innovative one is HIV self-testing. To date, there has been no systemic assessment of the evidence around the costs and cost- …

  • Linkage to HIV Care Following HIV Self-testing: Results From a Trial of Distribution of Oral HIVST Kits in Zambia

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Evidence has accumulated that HIV self-testing (HIVST) will contribute towards achieving the first 90 target. However, for those who self-test and the result is HIV-positive, there is limited evidence about how to ensure linkage to co …

  • Cost analysis of differentiated HIV self-testing kits distribution strategies in Zambia

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing is a process whereby a person who wants to know his or her HIV status collects a specimen, performs the test and interprets the test result him/herself. The HIV Self-Testing Africa (STAR) project in Zambia utilised co …

  • HIV self-testing alone or with additional interventions, including financial incentives, and linkage to care or prevention among male partners of antenatal care clinic attendees in Malawi

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Conventional HIV testing services have been less comprehensive in reaching men than in reaching women globally, but HIV self-testing (HIVST) appears to be an acceptable alternative. Measurement of linkage to post-test services followi …

  • Reliability of HIV rapid diagnostic tests for self-testing compared with testing by health-care workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The ability of individuals to use HIV self-tests correctly is debated. To inform the 2016 WHO recommendation on HIV self-testing, we assessed the reliability and performance of HIV rapid diagnostic tests when used by self-testers.In t …

  • Retesting for HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) against policy recommendations: investigating the impact on sensitivity of self-testing, Blantyre, Malawi

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Malawi (Sub-Saharan Africa), a projected 72.7% know their HIV status, of which 88.6% are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). From 2012-2015, an HIVST study was conducted in urban Blantyre (Malawi) in …

  • Preferences for Models of HIV Self-Test Kit Distribution: Results from a Qualitative Study and Choice Experiment in a Rural Zimbabwean Community

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE There is suboptimal uptake of HIV testing among certain groups such as men and young people. HIV self-testing (HIVST) has been shown to increase uptake and frequency of testing, but optimal, cost-effective models of delivery are uncle …

  • Exploring the drivers of user costs as a barrier to accessing HIV testing from Rural Malawi

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV prevalence remains high in Malawi at 10.6%. Men and young people have high testing gaps. Key barriers to testing include direct and indirect costs and lack of convenience. Aim is to explore the costs and the associated cost driver …

  • Re-reading of OraQuick HIV-1/2 rapid antibody test results: quality assurance implications for HIV self-testing programmes

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Scale-up of HIV self-testing (HIVST) will play a key role in meeting the United Nation’s 90-90-90 targets. Delayed re-reading of used HIVST devices has been used by early implementation studies to validate the performance of self-test …

  • Increasing knowledge of HIV status and demand for ART using community- based HIV self-testing

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE 72.7% of PLHIV know their status; 89.6% on ART; 91.2% virally suppressed (MPHIA 2015-16). HIV testing coverage relatively low in men, adolescents and rural populations.Resource Types: POSTERLanguages:ENGLISHPopulation Served:GENERAL P …

  • Prevalence and determinants of frequent and very frequent HIV testing in Zambia and Malawi

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE As countries approach the “First 90” of UN 90-90-90 targets, HIV testing will become increasingly less efficient, and excessive use of HIV testing among low risk populations is an increasing concern. Here, we investigate frequent test …

  • Ability to understand and correctly follow HIV self-test kit instructions for use in Malawi and Zambia

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The ability to achieve an accurate test result and interpret it correctly is critical to the impact and effectiveness of HIV self-testing (HIVST). Simple and easy-to-use devices, instructions for use (IFU) and other support tools have …

  • Uptake and performance of blood-based self-testing versus oral fluid-based self-testing in Blantyre district, Malawi.

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Previous studies have shown strong preferences for self-testing compared to facility-based services. To date, HIVST has largely used OF self-tests, but with quality-assured BB kits now available.A gap in evidence on the feasibility an …

  • Is OraQuick® HIV-self-testing valid among intended users? Analysis from a clinical performance study in Lusaka, Zambia.

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Self-testing for HIV (HIVST), where an individual performs, reads and interprets their own HIV test, offers a simple and private option for people wanting to screen themselves for HIV. HIVST is highly acceptable, increases coverage an …

  • A clinical utility risk-benefit analysis for HIV self-testing

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE As countries work to achieve the United Nation’s “90-90-90” testing and treatment targets, many countries are adopting WHO’s recommendation to offer HIVST as an additional HIV testing approach. Many self-testers can use an HIV rapid d …

  • Persuaded HIV self-testing during community-based distribution of self-test kits: A population-based survey and nested qualitative study in Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) enables novel implementation strategies that can carry unintended consequences. While introducing HIVST to rural Zimbabwe through community-based distribution, we investigated “persuaded-testing” (feeling unab …

  • hiv self-testing acceptability, feasibility and motivations among young people in South Africa: A demonstration community-based study

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing can facilitate meeting the UN 90-90-90 HIV testing goal. However, it must first be acceptable to the target population before roll out. We therefore assessed acceptability and feasibility of HIV self-testing, choice o …

  • HIV Self-Testing in Zambia – An Account of Early Lessons from Multi- Province Program Implementation Scale-up

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV testing coverage stands at 68% among women and 64% among men in Zambia. The Ministry of Health (MOH) made HIV self-testing national policy and launched its roll-out in August, 2018. The primary objective was to expand access to HI …

  • Who self-reports never-testing for HIV after community-based distribution of HIV self-testing kits in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV-testing is essential for entry into the HIV-treatment continuum and supports linkage to prevention services. In population-based surveys conducted after community-based distribution of HIV self-testing (HIVST) in rural Malawi and …

  • HIV Self-test kits provide a sense of privacy, control, and empowerment among end-users of HIV self-test kits in Kenya

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE o HIV self-tests (HIVST) were introduced to the Kenya private sector in early 2018.o Conducted qualitative research with users and non-users of HIVST kits after product launch to better understand HIVST awareness, user experiences, an …

  • Index HIV self-testing among male partners in Malawi: Predictors of self-testing within a randomized controlled trial

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Men are underrepresented in HIV services. We conducted a randomized trial in Malawi to test the impact of index HIV self-testing (HIVST) compared to standard partner referral slips, whereby HIV-positive clients delivered either HIVST …

  • Applying user preferences to optimize the contribution of HIV self-testing to reaching the “first 90” target of UNAIDS Fast-track strategy: results from discrete choice experiments in Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE New HIV testing strategies are needed to reach the United Nations’ 90-90-90 target. HIV self-testing (HIVST) can increase uptake, but users’ perspectives on optimal models of distribution and post-test services are uncertain. We used …

  • Closing the HIV testing gap: Facility-based integration of HIV self-testing, a way to improve testing coverage, yield and efficiency of client-initiated HIV testing services in Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a new approach to HIV testing that could help identify HIV-positive individuals reluctant to test with a provider. Several community and facility based HIVST models were evaluated through the Unitaid/PSI HI …

  • Challenges in measurement of linkage following HIV self-testing: examples from the STAR Project

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Knowledge of HIV status through HIV testing constitutes the first step towards HIV treatment and prevention services. HIV self-testing (HIVST), whereby individuals collect their own specimen, conduct their own test and interpret the r …

  • Economic cost analysis of door-to-door community-based distribution of HIV self-test kits in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is recommended by the World Health Organization in addition to other testing modalities to increase uptake of HIV testing, particularly among harder-to-reach populations. This study provides the first empirica …

  • Exploring social harms during distribution of HIV self-testing kits using mixed-methods approaches in Malawi

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) provides couples and individuals with a discreet, convenient and empowering testing option. As with all HIV testing, potential harms must be anticipated and mitigated to optimize individual and public health b …

  • The Self-Testing AfRica (STAR) Initiative: accelerating global access and scale-up of HIV self-testing

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) was first proposed as an additional option to standard HIV testing services in the 1980s. By 2015, two years after the first HIVST kit was approved for the American market and the year in which Unitaid investe …

  • HIV self-testing: breaking the barriers to uptake of testing among men and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, experiences from STAR demonstration projects in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Social, structural and systems barriers inhibit uptake of HIV testing. HIV self-testing (HIVST) has shown promising uptake by otherwise underserved priority groups including men, young people and first-time testers. Here, we use chara …

  • Optimizing HIV testing services in sub-Saharan Africa: cost and performance of verification testing with HIV self-tests and tests for triage

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Strategies employing a single rapid diagnostic test (RDT) such as HIV self-testing (HIVST) or “test for triage” (T4T) are proposed to increase HIV testing programme impact. Current guidelines recommend serial testing with two or three …

  • Regulation of HIV self-testing in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe: a qualitative study with key stakeholders

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is being introduced as a new way for more undiagnosed people to know their HIV status. As countries start to implement HIVST, assuring the quality and regulating in vitro diagnostics, including HIVST, are esse …

  • HIV self-testing in Zambia: User ability to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a new approach to increase testing uptake. Although evidence demonstrates that supervised users can accurately perform HIVST, the ability of unsupervised users to do so, using manufacturer’s instruction for …

  • The impact and cost-effectiveness of community-based HIV self-testing in sub-Saharan Africa: a health economic and modelling analysis

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The prevalence of undiagnosed HIV is declining in Africa, and various HIV testing approaches are finding lower positivity rates. In this context, the epidemiological impact and cost-effectiveness of community-based HIV self-testing (C …

  • Examining the effects of HIV self-testing compared to standard HIV testing services: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a discreet and convenient way to reach people with HIV who do not know their status, including many who may not otherwise test. To inform World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, we assessed the effect of …

  • Informing targeted HIV self-testing service delivery in Malawi and Zambia: a multi-country discrete choice experiment

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Adult HIV prevalence remains high in Southern Africa. HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a new approach with potential to improve coverage. To inform HIVST implementation, we elicited user preferences to quantify the strength of preferences …

  • Acceptability of woman-delivered HIV self-testing to the male partner, and additional interventions: a qualitative study of antenatal care participants in Malawi

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE In the era of ambitious HIV targets, novel HIV testing models are required for hard-to-reach groups such as men, who remain underserved by existing services. Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity for partners to test for HIV, as man …

  • Value of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits to male partners of female sex workers

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE As the proportion of people diagnosed with HIV increases, the cost-effectiveness of any form of HIV testing declines, making it important to identify targeted strategies that offer value for money. Distribution of HIV self-tests (HIVS …

  • ‘I will choose when to test, where I want to test’: investigating young people’s preferences for HIV self-testing in Malawi and Zimbabwe

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE Young people aged 15–24 years account for a third of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and a third of new infections worldwide. HIV testing among this population remains disproportionately low compared with adults, with coverage e …

  • Preferences for linkage to HIV care services following a reactive self-test: discrete choice experiments in Malawi and Zambia

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE The HIV burden remains highly concentrated in southern Africa, with an estimated adult prevalence of 8.8% in Malawi and 13% in Zambia between 2014 and 2015. Despite substantial progress, there is a significant gap in HIV testing, with …

  • Realizing the potential of HIV self-testing for Africa: lessons learned from the STAR project

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE This supplement was funded and supported by the World Health Organization, Population Services International and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as part of the Self-Testing AfRica (STAR) Initiative. The STAR Initiat …

  • HIV RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR SELF-TESTING 4th EDITION, JULY 2018

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE People’s knowledge of their and their partners’ HIV status is essential to the HIV response. It is the first step to both prevention and treatment, which reduce HIV-associated morbidity, mortality and transmission. Many people continu …

  • WHO/UNITAID Landscape for HIV Rapid Diagnostic Tests for HIV Self-Testing (December 2015)

    DOWNLOAD RESOURCE This report presents the potential for HIV self-testing to contribute to achieving global 90–90–90 targets for treatment access by 2020, provides projections of the demand for and supply of HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for self-t …

  • HIV Self-Testing During COVID-19

    Evidence, Best Practices and Recommendations for global HIVST Scale Up Unitaid – STAR Initiative – ATLAS Webinar Series version française The COVID-19 pandemic is now a major global health threat with 7 million cases and 402,000 deaths reported to WHO …

  • HIV Self-Testing During Covid-19 French

    Preuves, bonnes pratiques et recommandations pour une mise à l’échelle au plan mondial de l’auto-dépistage du VIH Unitaid – STAR Initiative – ATLAS Webinar Series ENGLISH VERSIONLa pandémie de COVID-19 est une menace sanitaire mondiale majeure avec 7 m …

  • May

    A Note from the SCTG Secretariat Global health experts from around the world joined the first-ever virtual World Health Assembly (WHA) to discuss one topic – COVID-19. While the topic this year was limited to one virus it will touch on many aspects of …

  • Choice in Her Hands: Enabling Safe Self-Care during COVID-19

     There is a lot we know, and yet still a lot to be done to advance self-care.Self-care is more than just a series of specific interventions – it is an approach to healthcare that spans all aspects of healthcare. Therefore, as with advancing primary car …

  • Summary from the World Health Assembly

    The 73rd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) was held remotely on May 18th and 19th. This year’s WHA focused exclusively on the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHA adopted a COVID-19 response resolution that had more than 130 co-sponsors and was endorsed …

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  • Featured Resources

    star initiative featured resources Browse featured resources from the STAR team below and explore the complete STAR library to find scientific publications, training materials, program planning tools, country case studies, trouble-shooting material and …

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  • Self-Testing and Self-Care: Breakthroughs for COVID, but Already Being Put to Good Use in the Global South

    This post was originally featured on PSI’s blog. by Karl Hofmann, President & CEO, PSIIn mid-May, the Washington Post featured an article about innovation in COVID-19 testing technology: “An easier coronavirus test is within spitting distance.” Imp …

  • Self-care: A Critical Answer to COVID-19

    By Sandy Garcon, Senior Manager, Advocacy and Communications, PSI Global health experts from around the world are joining the first-ever virtual World Health Assembly (WHA) to discuss one topic – COVID-19. While the topic this year is limited to one vi …

  • Evidence and Learning Working Group

    Evidence & Research The SCTG works to coordinate and broker knowledge generated and accumulated across partners and initiatives in pursuit of the SCTG’s overall objectives.Through its Evidence and Learning Working Group, the SCTG seeks to leverage and …

  • Advocacy Working Group

    Advocacy & Communications The SCTG aims to build political momentum around a joint vision of self-care, particularly in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and advocate for self-care policies and financing to be institutionalized in …

  • Powering a ubiquitous and resilient self-care revolution for adolescent sexual and reproductive health

    Banner Image: PSI/Natasha SweeneyUbiquity, meaning present, appearing, found everywhere; and resilience, able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult situations. While these may not be the first words that come to mind when you think of health c …

  • RAMPING UP HIV TESTING IN THE ERA OF COVID-19

    By Karin Hatzold, Associate Director for HIV/TB, and Kasey Henderson, Advocacy Coordinator, PSI  Globally, health officials are struggling to navigate a new world in which clinics and hospitals need to cater for the influx of COVID-19 patients, while a …

  • Self-Care Framework

  • April Newsletter

    A Note from the SCTG Secretariat In the midst of COVID-19, self-care offers an opportunity to ensure that sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remain available and accessible, when, where and how individuals need. By including self-care as an …

  • The Steering Committee

    Coalition Steering Committee The Coalition Steering Committee (CSC) advises the Secretariat and provides oversight of SCTG coalition functions, ensuring a strong value proposition for members that is supportive of the SCTG’s strategic priorities It wil …

  • Pharmacy interventions prototype and recommendations

    Download Resource This document provides the research insights developed by Dahlberg Design for Kenyan social marketing of Sayana Press through pharmacies. The study consisted of 30 interviews, this included; 14 pharmacy owners, 3 private facility prov …

  • Journey to DMPA-SC in the Sahel

    Download Resource This study took place between August and October 2017 within 5 study sites in Niger, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. The study was focused on an ongoing project introducing Sayana Press in the Sahel. The study aimed to identify the views a …

  • Medical abortion Infographic

    Download Resource This infographic, developed by MSI and Ipas, summarises evidence from a systematic review of pharmacy provision of MA. It highlights the steps on women’s pathways to accessing MA through pharmacies, common challenges that they may exp …

  • Drug Seller Provision Practices and Knowledge of Misoprostol in Bangladesh

    Download Resource This study was undertaken among 700 Bangladeshi drug sellers (including regulated pharmacists and unregulated drug sellers) to understand their knowledge of Misoprostal and provision practices. Conducted prior to the scale-up of combi …

  • Lessons learned about the introduction of Sayana Press in Madagascar

    Download Resource This study details the impact of the introduction of Sayana Press in Madagascar a CIFF funded project, which began in 2015. Within the project, Sayana Press was made available in 22 regions through 5 MSI channels. These were; MSI’s ce …

  • STEP UP: Using evidence to improve quality of pharmacy-delivered medical abortion

    Download Resource This case study describes how evidence generated by the STEP UP consortium about medical abortion self-management has informed practice at Marie Stopes International. The growing evidence base surrounding pharmacy provision of MA has …

  • Using Digital Technology for Sexual and Reproductive Health: Are Programs Adequately Considering Risk?

    Download Resource This commentary follows the publication of MSI’s randomised control trial in Bangladesh which showed that mHealth to promote contraceptive use increased women’s report of gender-based violence. The commentary describes why use of mobi …

  • Medical Abortion Provision by Pharmacies and Drug Sellers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

    Download Resource This review summarises how pharmacies and drug sellers are revolutionising access to safe abortion in low- and middle-income countries. Studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America were reviewed, finding high levels of pharmacy provisi …

  • Supporting MR through the call centre in Bangladesh

    Download Resource This study highlights the importance of hotlines, combi-packs and clear packaging for ensuring that people can safely self-administer reproductive health medications. The analysis of 287,095 calls to the contact centre between 2012 an …

  • Our Members

    Membership The Self-Care Trailblazer Group operates as a coalition composed of a diverse set of institutional and individual members working to advance the practice of self-care to improve health around the globe.Members include representatives of mult …

  • Accessing Family Planning in a Crisis: The Potential of Contraceptive Self-Injection

    By: Katelin Gray, Policy & Advocacy Officer, Sexual and Reproductive Health, PATHAround the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is making it harder for people to access essential health care. Many women are now asking the same question: how can I continue …

  • Accélération de l’offre de l’auto-prise en charge au temps de COVID-19 : Ce que cela signifie pour aujourd’hui et pour l’avenir.

    Cet article a été précédemment publié sur le blog de Knowledge Success.   Read here for the English version.    Auteurs : Pierre Moon, Megan Christofield, Dr. Eva Lathrop, et Dr. Ricky Lu Publié le 30 mars 2020 Cet article, co-rédig …

  • Join Us in Recognizing World Health Day 2020

    We hope you are all keeping well during this trying time. As we all continue to focus on healthcare worldwide, we invite you to join us in recognizing World Health Day 2020. This year’s theme, which focuses on supporting nurses and midwives, has never …

  • Who We Are

    Governance The Self-Care Trailblazer Group’s operates as both a coalition and a set of related programs. Its governance structure aims to ensure effective coordination, to bring mutual value to partners without adding unnecessary complexity or bureaucr …

  • Self-Care

    DEFINING SELF-CARE WHAT IS SELF-CARE The Coalition Steering Committee (CSC) advises the Secretariat and provides oversight of SCTG coalition functions, ensuring a strong value proposition for members that is supportive of the SCTG’s strategic prioritie …

  • A Global Policy Blueprint – Self-Care: Better Daily Health for Individuals and Societies

    Download Resource Establishing self-care as a global policy priority to improve health outcomes and address the sustainability of health systems around the world is both necessary and achievable. As this paper suggests, however, achieving self-care’s p …

  • Resource Library OLD

    Resource Library Browse our clearinghouse of self-care related resources. Sign up for updates Self-Care Policy Mapping The Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) at Imperial College London was commissioned by the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCT …

  • Blog

    Blog Check out the latest updates from Self-Care Trailblazers. Sign up for updates State of Self-Care Report – Progress and POtential of Self-Care: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead Self-care is witnessing an exciting and dynamic evolution – gaining recog …

  • Acceleration of Self-Care in the Time of COVID-19

    This post was originally featured on Knowledge Success’ blog.Read here for the french version/lisez-ici pour la version francaise.Banner Image Photo: A woman holds a self-sample device for HPV. Credit: Jhpiego/Kate HoltWhat is the context?The need for …

  • How COVID-19 could complicate treatment for HIV patients

    NAIROBI — As cases of COVID-19 rise globally, so are concerns about the toll this pandemic could have on populations living with HIV. This alarm has been elevated in recent days, as cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, which has the largest HIV epidemic  …

  • Advocacy Roadmap – Igniting a Self-Care Movement for Sexual and Reproductive Health

    Download English Roadmap Download French Roadmap This roadmap is the result of a series of in-country advocacy workshops and consultations held between July 2019 and January 2020. The advocacy roadmap development was facilitated by White Ribbon Allianc …

  • News and Events

    News and Events UPCOMING EVENTS PAST EVENTS VIEW MORE Latest Newsletter VIEW MORE Self-Care in the news Self-Care Community Forum Series Self-care Community forum series When individuals are given the opportunity to become active agents in… Read More …

  • Contact Us

    Contact Us [email protected] the #selfcare4UHC conversation online and follow us on social media. Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram For any inquiries, please fill out this form.

  • Male Engagement

    Male Engagement Transform/PHARE Male engagement and gender transformative approaches are meant to address men as users of family planning methods, partners, service providers, influencers and decision makers. Men may be seen as a barrier, or they can b …

  • Cross-Sectoral Social Behavior Change

    Cross-Sectoral Social Behavior Change Transform/PHARE The cross-sectoral SBC approach aims to provide information, educate and encourage dialogue in settings outside the traditional health-related context. The approach may focus on educating in agricul …

  • Provider Behavior Change

    Provider Behavior Change Transform/PHARE It is widely known that healthcare providers are often limited by their own misconceptions and biases in offering quality reproductive health information related to family planning, contraceptive counseling and …

  • Audience Segmentation

    Audience Segmentation Transform/PHARE Traditionally target audiences are segmented using demographic indicators such as age, gender and marital status, however Transform/PHARE uses non-traditional and innovative views of the audiences, based on attitud …

  • What We Do

    What We Do While the concept of self-care is not new, the World Health Organization’s Consolidated Guideline on Self-Care Interventions for Health calls for adoption of national policies to usher in this transformative era in healthcare. Members of the …

  • Transform/PHARE in Niger

    Engaging Religious Leaders Transform/PHARE: Niger Drawing from different research methodologies, the team sought to uncover youth and religious leaders’ perspectives, and knowledge, on reproductive health services and products in several villages in th …

  • Transform/PHARE in Côte d’Ivoire

    Promoting Male Engagement and Partners’ Dialogue Transform/PHARE: Côte d’Ivoire In Year Three, using a human centered design (HCD) approach, Transform/PHARE explored innovative ways for designing and reaching young men outside of traditional health com …

  • Transform/PHARE in Burkina Faso

    Innovation Lab Transform/PHARE: Burkina Faso Research shows that significant socio-cultural and structural barriers to creating demand for FP persist. Cultural norms value high fertility, and gender equity issues prevent many women from making decision …

  • About Us

    ABOUT US Established in November 2018 with support from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) was formed to support governments in institutionalizing self-care in se …

  • Transform/PHARE in Benin

    Académie de l’Artisanat Transform/PHARE: Benin Transform/PHARE designed a prototype craft academy, Académie de l’Artisanat, to reach young, out-of-school women with information on and referrals for modern contraceptive methods. A handcraft academy mode …

  • Self-Care Trailblazers Group

    STATE OF SELF-CARE REPORTPROGRESS & POTENTIAL OF SELF-CAREEXPLORESelf-Care Learning and Discovery SeriesEXPLORE Previous slide Next slide The Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) is a global coalition dedicated to expanding the safe and effective practic …

  • Women’s Health Project (WHP)

    The Women’s Health Project is a multi-regional project implemented in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. The goal of WHP is to prevent unintended pregnancies and increase access to legal abortion, post-abortion care and post-abortion cont …

  • Win – Win Network

    Win – Win is a network of independent micro-entrepreneurs who deliver health education and socially-impactful products in rural and peri-urban communities in Myanmar.

  • Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision – DOD

    This program promotes voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) to decrease the incidence of HIV among Zambian military personnel, their families and surrounding communities.

  • Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision

    This project, offered by PEPFAR through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provides voluntary medical male circumcision services to increase the impact of HIV prevention programs.

  • Vale-a-Pena

    With and for young people, Vale-a-Pena is proving the value of applying A360’s youth-powered approach to determine what it takes to enact effective, resonant and ultimately lasting youth sexual and reproductive health behavior change in Mozambique.

  • Utkrisht Development Impact Bond

    Utkrisht is the world’s first health Development Impact Bond and uses private investor capital to fund quality improvement interventions aimed at reducing maternal and newborn mortality in the state of Rajasthan, India. Forty-four private sector facili …

  • Using Youth-Powered Design to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy Among Youth in Vietnam

    This project uses a youth-centered design approach to build upon an existing but limited evidence base, informing the design of tangible solutions for reducing unintended pregnancies among youth in Vietnam.

  • Using Mobile Health and Incentives to Promote Increased TB Screening and Referrals among Rural Pharmacists

    This project uses a bottom-up approach that involves trade marketing and pharmacist behavior change to increase the impact of pharmacy contributions in TB case detection. The project simultaneously strengthens pharmacy business viability to deliver sus …

  • Using a Market-Based Approach to Transform Rural Women and Girls’ Sanitation in Vietnam

    This project worked to improve rural households’ access to locally appropriate, quality, affordable hygienic latrines.

  • USAID HIV/AIDS Combination Prevention Program for MARPs in Central America and Mexico

    Under this program, PASMO works to increase access to HIV prevention interventions by key populations at greater risk for HIV in Central America.

  • USAID Central Asia HIV Flagship Activity Project

    This project aims to reduce new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.

  • USAID Burma HIV/AIDS Flagship (UHF)

    UHF delivers the full cascade of HIV care, from community-based peer and online outreach to viral suppression services offered through drop-in centers and general practitioners, targeted to vulnerable and high-risk communities.

  • UNICEF Sanitation Project

    This project aims to achieve universal access to basic sanitation services and improved hygiene practices. It covers 11 districts in Rwanda through a voucher system for the poorest rural households, provides support to these districts to monitor and pr …

  • Tunza Social Enterprise

    This initiative seeks to build the capacity of the Tunza clinics to reach more communities and will test how access to financing can build the franchise through a revolving fund.

  • Tsogolo Langa

    Tsogolo Langa is a targeted investment program that aims to scale up DFID’s current support for sexual and reproductive health service delivery in Malawi through national third-party providers, with a view to increasingly meet the needs of youth and yo …

  • USAID Transform WASH and USAID Growth through Nutrition Activity

    Transform WASH aims to improve WASH outcomes in Ethiopia, with a focus on sanitation by stimulating demand at the community level, strengthening supply chains and building an enabling environment for a vibrant private market.

  • Transform/PHARE

    Transform/PHARE Transform/PHARE generates innovative evidence-based social and behavior change communications to address barriers to modern contraceptive use, transform attitudes about reproductive health and promote family planning in West Africa.  Tr …

  • Towards Universal Healthcare

    This project is a public community and private partnership aimed at strengthening the health system by setting up one health post in each cell (Rwandan government districts) to reduce the walking distance to the nearest primary health care facility by …

  • The Rwanda Social Marketing Program

    The Rwanda Social Marketing Program is a cooperative agreement whose goal is to increase access and availability of health services and products in the health areas of malaria, HIV, maternal and child health, and sexual and reproductive health through …

  • The Power of Primary Care for Mental Health Services

    Mental health is an under-funded and under-resourced health area worldwide. This project aims to generate useful and timely evidence on how to build a comprehensive model to drive identification and care for common mental health conditions within a pri …

  • The Challenge Initiative for Healthy Cities (TCIHC)

    TCIHC is supported by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Gates Institute to scale-up proven sexual and reproductive health approaches leading to increased use of modern contraceptive methods amongst all women 15-49 years of age in urban po …

  • Teen Moms Adelante

    Teen Moms Adelante aims to reduce repeat pregnancies among teen mothers in Managua, Nicaragua, which contributes to fewer maternal and child deaths and illnesses and allows young girls to pursue their dreams.

  • Supporting Sustainable Sanitation – Pathways to Scale

    Building on the success of the Supporting Sustainable Sanitation Improvements (3SI) project in Bihar, PSI India secured co-funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Grand Challenges Canada in 2018. The new findings have allowed this platform …

  • Strengthening the Emergency Operations Center to Accelerate Malaria Elimination and Prepare for Future Public Health Emergencies in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

    This project aims to strengthen Laos’ Emergency Operations Center and the capacity of the Ministry of Health to accelerate malaria elimination and respond to future public health emergencies.

  • Strategic Purchasing of Essential Primary Care Services Through Private Providers

    This project aims to transform the market for quality primary health care services in Myanmar by demonstrating the concept of strategic purchasing at scale.

  • Somali Health and Nutrition (SAHAN) Demand Creation Programme

    PSI Som supports the Somali Ministries of Health to implement SAHAN in partnership with Health Poverty Action, Trocaire, Mercy USA and Action Against Hunger. SAHAN is a component of DFID’s Somali Health and Nutrition Programme. The program identifies a …

  • Social Marketing for Health

    This partnership sustains social marketing of JEITO condom activities and supports the local clinic franchise, TEM+, and their family planning service model.

  • Support for International Family Planning Organizations (SIFPO2)

    SIFPO2 Support for International Family Planning and Health Organizations 2: Sustainable Networks About Us The Support for International Family Planning and Health Organizations 2: Sustainable Networks (SIFPO2) is a USAID-funded program designed to str …

  • SHOPS Plus

    Led by Abt Associates, Sustaining Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) Plus is USAID’s flagship initiative in private sector health. The project seeks to harness the full potential of the private sector and catalyze public-private engagem …

  • Scaling up Targeted Community-Based HIV Testing Services and Linkage to Treatment in Lesotho (CID-LINK)

    PSI Lesotho worked with government and community partners to deliver HIV testing services in five lowland districts—Maseru, Leribe, Berea, Mafeteng and Mohale’s Hoek—from April 2018 to March 2019.

  • Scaling Up for Universal Coverage and Impact

    Scaling Up for Universal Coverage and Impact is a 3-year, $45 million project for malaria vector control and community case management in South Sudan.

  • Saving Lives at Birth

    This project worked to increase access to lifesaving birth kits for Ugandans and assist health providers in better caring for their patients in both rural and urban areas.

  • Sanitation Service Delivery (SSD)

    Sanitation service delivery (SSD) is a regional urban sanitation project of USAID West Africa, implemented by PSI in collaboration with PATH and WSUP (Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor). The objective of the program is to achieve better sanitatio …

  • Rwanda Military Program

    The Rwanda Military program focuses on HIV prevention services among Rwanda Defence Force members and areas surrounding the military bases. The program’s main activities include voluntary counseling and testing for HIV and HIV prevention activities suc …

  • Response for HIV and for Sexually Transmitted Infections in Madagascar

    PSI Madagascar oversees the HIV prevention component of this project, including outreach activities for key populations, behavior change communication activities, condom procurement and distribution and HIV mobile testing and counseling.

  • Research for Scalable Solutions (R4S)

    PSI is a member of the FHI-led Research for Scalable Solutions project to generate and support utilization of evidence to increase access to voluntary sexual and reproductive health services and improve healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies in low- …

  • Regional Artemisinin Initiative 2 Elimination (RAI2E)

    This project supports the Royal Government of Cambodia to implement a core package of services with the goal of reducing the incidence of malaria to less than one infection per 1,000 people at risk in each operational district and eliminate Plasmodium …

  • PSI Myanmar Enterprise Fund

    The PSI Myanmar Enterprise Fund builds sustainable markets for reproductive health products. Markets have been slowly removing subsidies for brands marketed to the people of Myanmar for the past 10 to 15 years.

  • Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Benin (PSDSR)

    As part of the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights and the provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Benin, ABMS, CARE and l’Association Beninoise pour la Planification Familiale (ABPF) have formed a consortium for the imple …

  • Promoting Healthy Behaviors (PHB)

    This project works to assist the Royal Government of Cambodia to improve health behaviors among Cambodians working across six health areas: tuberculosis; sexual and reproductive health; maternal and child health; water, sanitation and hygiene; malaria; …

  • Projet de prévention VIH/SIDA en Afrique Centrale

    The HIV/AIDS Prevention Project in Central Africa aims at making both male and female condoms accessible and available as well as improving behaviors and practices relating to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

  • Sexual and Reproductive Health for All Initiative (SARAI)

    SARAI increases access to and improved quality of sexual and reproductive health service and aims to increase the modern contraceptive prevalence rate in Zambia by 2% annually.

  • Project N’zatonse

    The PSI Malawi-implemented Project N’zatonse works with and for young people aged 10 to 24 to deliver combined health, income generation and social development activities to more than 15,000 of Malawi’s most vulnerable youth per month.

  • Post-Distribution Check-Up

    This project strengthens global capacity and shape markets by monitoring the ownership, use and condition of insecticide-treated nets in various districts in Uganda over a 30-year period.

  • PMI VectorLink

    Working across 24 countries in sub-Saharan Africa as well as Cambodia, the PMI VectorLink Project is equipping countries to plan and implement safe, cost-effective, and sustainable indoor residual spraying, insecticide-treated nets, and other life-savi …

  • PMI Impact Malaria

    PMI Impact Malaria works with national malaria control programs to fight malaria and save lives by strengthening the diagnosis, treatment and drug-based prevention of malaria, especially for children and pregnant women.

  • PEER: Evaluating innovative technologies and approaches to addressing cervical cancer in the Republic of Mozambique

    In partnership with University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center and other project partners, PSI Mozambique will systematically design and evaluate integrated models of care for sexual and reproductive health in two districts of the country from 2019 …

  • Partnership for Advancing Community-Based Services (PACS)

    Under the PACS project, PSI Liberia builds the capacity of the Ministry of Health to design, produce and disseminate efficient and sound behavior change communication messages that cut across diseases and health areas to influence positive health outco …

  • Non-Communicable Disease Program for Trinidad and Tobago

    The overall goal of the program is to address the four main non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that affect Trinidad and Tobago—cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease—by using a multi-pronged approach to achieve key behav …

  • New Nets Project

    The New Nets Project is an initiative established by Unitaid and the Global Fund, primed by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC), in partnership with the US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Ne …

  • New Funding Model 2 Malaria: Progressive Elimination of Malaria in Madagascar

    PSI Madagascar supports National Malaria Control Program activities and oversees the procurement of high-quality antimalarial medicines, rapid diagnostic tests and bed nets.

  • Municipal WASH

    The Municipal WASH project provides support to city governments, sanitation directories, utilities and other relevant institutions of Benin and Côte d’Ivoire to increase financial sustainability, operational reliability and enhanced governance and mana …

  • Marketing Innovations for Sustainable Health Development

    The Marketing Innovations for Sustainable Health Development project will increase access to public health products in sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, and nutritional products; increase effective use of products and practice …

  • Malaria Prevention Project

    This project partners with SC Johnson to scale up vector control services and products, including social and behavior change communication and social marketing of mosquito repellents. Implementation is carried out by community health workers.

  • Linkage to Treatment to Optimize Response for Epidemic Control (SCORE)

    SCORE provides quality HIV testing and counseling services at the community level across all four regions of Eswatini using targeted community-based approaches to identify HIV-positive individuals. Once identified, the HIV-positive individuals are link …

  • Lesotho-Military Specific HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment Program for PEPFAR-Funded Countries

    PSI Lesotho has partnered with the Lesotho Defense Force to reduce the number of new HIV infections and other sexually transmitted infections among members of the military, their families and the civilian communities served by the military.

  • Learning about Expanded Access and Potential of the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System Initiative

    Through the global Learning about Expanded Access and Potential of the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System Initiative, PSI works with FHI 360 (the prime) to generate timely, actionable evidence to help determine if and how the system can play a catalyti …

  • Lahyar Iyali

    Lahyar Iyali works with public sector facilities in Niger to improve the quality of reproductive health services. In addition, the project works with communities to create demand and an enabling environment for access to a full range of reproductive he …

  • Kampala Slum Maternal Newborn Project; Innovating for Better System Outcomes (MaNe)

    This project seeks to provide support effective coverage for maternal, newborn and child health services with timely care-seeking and efficient referrals to responsive health facilities.To learn more about the MaNe project, see the links below:Coordina …

  • Jovenes 3.0: Innovative Approaches to Reducing Unmet Need for Family Planning in Latin America and the Caribbean

    This program aims to increase the effectiveness of cyber-education and referrals for family planning services and products in El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic.

  • Jeune S3 (Santé, Sexualité, Sécurité)

    Jeune S3 ensures that young people in fragile areas, especially girls ages 10-14, and key populations are able and motivated to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health and that their rights are respected.

  • Investing for Impact Against Tuberculosis and HIV

    Organisation Haïtienne de Marketing Social pour la Santé (OHMaSS) works throughout Haiti to improve health outcomes for Haitians living with HIV/AIDS or TB.

  • Investing for Impact Against Malaria

    OHMaSS supports the Haitian Ministry of Health to reach its goal of country-wide malaria elimination by 2020.

  • Intergenerational Approaches to Prevent and Treat Cervical Cancer in the Caribbean

    This project seeks to prevent unnecessary deaths and illness resulting from cervical cancer by taking a life cycle approach: offering preventative care through the vaccine before instances of cancer become likely, while bolstering the capacity and qual …

  • Integrating diabetes and HIV services in Eswatini

    Beginning in 2018, this project has worked to increase access to type 2 diabetes screening, treatment and counseling through integration with HIV services in Eswatini.

  • Innovative and Cost-Efficient Approaches to Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision

    This program aims to catalyze the increase of voluntary medical male circumcision and support the transition of circumcision programming to the government to create sustainability.

  • INGOBYI Activity

    The INGOBYI Activity is a USAID-funded program implemented by a consortium, led by IntraHealth International in partnership with the Rwandan Ministry of Health, to reduce preventable infant and maternal deaths and the incidence of malaria, and to bring …

  • Increasing Public Sector Capacity for Diabetes Management in Laos

    This project seeks to improve and standardize healthcare services towards diabetes, gestational diabetes and hypertension in Laos.

  • Increasing Family Planning Services among Adolescents (Adolescent Youth Project)

    The goal of the Adolescent Youth Project is to improve the reproductive health and well being of adolescents and youth in Nepal through increasing knowledge of and access to friendly, community-level services for sexual and reproductive health.

  • Improving Market Partnerships and Access to Commodities Together (IMPACT)

    IMPACT aims to sustainably improve the health of the Malagasy population through a strengthened health system and efficient health market, contributing to universal health coverage.

  • Improving HIV/STI/TB Prevention, Treatment and Care Services for Mobile Populations in the Dominican Republic under PEPFAR

    PSI’s local affiliate, Society for Family Health (SFH), is implementing aggressive, targeted outreach to the Haitian migrant population to offer HIV testing services and TB and STI screening services and, for those who test positive, provide rapid link …

  • Implementing universal coverage of malaria treatment, testing and prevention

    PSI Mali’s malaria interventions include preventive measures such as seasonal malaria chemoprevention for children under 5 and protection against as malaria in pregnancy using intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy. Additionally, PSI Mali coord …

  • Project Ignite

    Ignite Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ignite sparks change at every level of the health market so that young people can easily access contraception, post-abortion care and legal safe abortion services in Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, India, K …

  • Hygienic Toilets for All: A Market Entry Program in Ghana

    The Hygienic Toilets for All project aims to improve sanitation for Ghanaians and develop a market for SATO pans, a quality sanitation solution manufactured by Lixil.

  • HIV/AIDS Prevention Program

    PACE is collaborating with the Ugandan Peoples Defense Force to develop a targeted HIV prevention strategy for the military and surrounding communities.

  • HIV Testing Services

    This program works to increase access to HIV testing in service of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2022.

  • HIV Services for Key and Priority Populations

    This initiative works with the Ethiopian government and civil society organizations to more effectively plan, deliver and optimize high impact HIV prevention, care and treatment interventions for Ethiopia’s key and priority populations.

  • HIV Self-Testing Africa (STAR) Initiative

    WORKPLACE HIV SELF-TEST TOOLKITThis new guide aims to inform the development and implementation of HIV self-screening and -testing plans in workplaces through a comprehensive, integrated and collaborative approach.Learn MoreThe HIV Self-Testing Africa …

  • HIV Prevention, Care and Support for Key Populations, People Living with HIV and General Population

    This project focuses on the provision of HIV testing and sexually transmitted infection diagnosis and treatment services to members of key populations and sensitizes the general population to issues around HIV and other sexually transmitted infections …

  • Healthy Heart Africa

    Healthy Heart Africa envisions the decentralization of care for chronic illnesses, placing a special emphasis on diabetes and hypertension. The project works to bring the Ethiopian healthcare system in line with the WHO’s current recommendation to crea …

  • Healthy Communities

    Healthy Communities Corporate Partners: Pfizer From 2017 to 2019, Healthy Communities improved the consumer journey for hypertension care in Myanmar and Vietnam. This project was designed to facilitate movement along the consumer journey from awareness …

  • Health for All

    Health for All is a five-year program covering the areas of malaria, HIV and family planning through health system strengthening and data integration using the DHIS2 data management platform.

  • Health Communication and Marketing

    PSI provides technical assistance to PS Kenya programs to create marketing interventions by developing social and behavior change communication approaches, innovative research design, measurements for behavior change communication, frameworks for measu …

  • Health and Hygiene Activity

    The goal of the Health and Hygiene Activity is to improve the health status of communities in Nepal through improved integration of hygiene into the delivery of existing health services.

  • Greater Mekong Subregion Elimination of Malaria through Surveillance (GEMS)

    GEMS+ Greater Mekong Subregion Elimination of Malaria through Surveillance OVERVIEW The GEMS program ensured that private health care providers provided quality malaria testing and treatment services, and that data from the private sector entered the n …

  • Going the Last Mile for HIV Control in Zimbabwe

    As the HIV response matures, PSI is working closely with national governments to finish the “last mile” of epidemic control. The Going the Last Mile project in Zimbabwe is strengthening the national HIV response, first by ensuring full coverage of key …

  • Global Health Supply Chain Program – Procurement Supply Management (Malaria Prevention)

    The Malaria Prevention project, funded by USAID through Chemonics (GHSCPSM) contributes to the universal coverage of mosquito nets through free distribution in public health facilities and to vulnerable populations. PSI Burundi has supported the Nation …

  • Global Fund HIV Project

    The project is a framework agreement with the Ministry of Health and focuses on HIV behavior change communication condom promotion.

  • Expanding and Improving Family Planning and ASRH through Private Sector Health Delivery

    The project will improve and expand access to sexual and reproductive health services and contraceptives in Burundi, especially for youth and adolescents, through support to the country’s burgeoning private sector.     

  • Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options (EECO)

    The Expanding Effective Contraceptive Options (EECO) project, led by WCG Cares in partnership with PSI, is designed to support the introduction of new contraceptive methods that will address method-related reasons for non-use and better meet the reprod …

  • Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions for Key and Priority Populations

    The project implements evidence-based prevention interventions for key and priority populations through targeted testing and links to care and treatment.

  • Enhancing Quality of Healthcare Activity (EQHA)

    PSI Cambodia contributes to the overall project vision that Cambodia establishes a people-centered, universal healthcare system where health professionals, public and private, strive for high standards, treat patients with respect and give recognized q …

  • Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) Project

    The DREAMS partnership, funded by PEPFAR through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is an ambitious public-private partnership to reduce rates of HIV among adolescent girls and young women in the countries with the highest HIV burdens i …

  • Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program

    With funding from the US Department of Defense and the US President’s Plan for Emergency AIDS Relief, PSI Burundi contributes to the reduction of HIV and sexually transmitted infection incidence rates in the military (including veterans), as well as am …

  • Delivering Equitable and Sustainable Increases in Family Planning (DESIP) in Kenya

    DESIP aims to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and to increase the modern contraceptive prevalence rate in Kenya by increasing access to and use of reproductive health services across Kenya with a focus on increasing equity and sustainabili …

  • Delivering Accelerated Family Planning in Pakistan (DAFPAK)

    PSI Pakistan implements the DAFPAK program through its implementing partners, who work with community health workers and private providers to improve maternal and newborn health. The program’s vision is to grow the health market and use of sexual and r …

  • Digital Health Initiatives in Mozambique

    In Mozambique, PSI developed the Connect App, a mobile-based application used by PSI’s 400 health promoters across the country to generate referrals for sexual and reproductive health services. The initiative has generated similar pilot programs for di …

  • Cyber Rwanda

    Cyber Rwanda is a digital platform that aims to improve the health and livelihoods of urban and semi-urban adolescents from ages 12 to 19. Co-designed with Rwandan youth, this direct-to-consumer web platform weaves together “choose your own adventure” …

  • Creating Sustainable Sanitation Market in Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh, India)

    This project promotes sanitation behavior change for improved toilet usage with the goal of reaching an anticipated population of 780,000 in 400 villages in three years.

  • Creating a Movement to End Violence Against Women in Papua New Guinea Pilot Project (SASA! Together)

    Developed by Raising Voices in 2008, SASA! Together is one of the world’s leading evidence-based prevention methods. “SASA!” is the acronym for the four phases of SASA! —Start, Awareness, Support and Action. SASA! also means “now” in Kiswahili, emphasi …

  • Consumer’s Market for Family Planning (CM4FP)

    The CM4FP project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is implemented in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria to explore the supply and demand of modern contraceptives and how their market dynamics relate to sexual and reproductive health services …

  • Community Health and Nutrition through Local Governance and Empowerment (CHANGE)

    CHANGE aims to provide an essential package of health services primarily focused on maternal and child health. PSI Som leads a consortium for this project that includes Health Poverty Action, Save the Children and Trocaire, which work to implement heal …

  • Chicas en Conexión

    Chicas en Conexión provides adolescent girls with information that allows them to develop and shape their values around sexual and reproductive health so that they may lead positive and responsible lives.

  • Challenge Fund

    The Challenge Fund aims to close the HIV testing gap among men in Kenya by developing and catalyzing the market for HIV self-testing. The project develops service delivery models in the public and private sector that increase the uptake of self-testing …

  • Break the Cycle

    In South Africa, HIV transmission is fueled by a cycle: young adult men transmit HIV to younger female partners, who in turn grow up and transmit it to their male peers. In many cases, these men are especially reluctant to use existing HIV services, ma …

  • Building the Capacity of Youth, Communities and Organizations to Prevent and Address Domestic Violence in Costa Rica

    The main goal of this grant is to increase awareness and prevention of domestic violence in areas where vulnerability is highest due to drug trafficking and gang activity. The project also develops inter-institutional procedures to increase the Costa R …

  • Bihar Rural Sanitation

    This project builds sustainable sanitation markets across the Indian state of Bihar by training entrepreneurs, creating demand and facilitating access to finance.

  • Behavior Change Communication in Response to the Zika Outbreak (Under SIFPO2)

    With the support of USAID’s SIFPO2 project, PSI’s and its partners in Latin America and the Caribbean have led behavior change initiatives to prevent the transmission of Zika by focusing on promoting the use of condoms as a primary measure for the prev …

  • Advancing Universal Health Coverage

    PSI Bangladesh, with a consortium of partners led by Chemonics, is implementing this project to assist the goals of the government of Bangladesh’s National Health Care Financing Strategy. The project aims to transition the Smiling Sun Network of matern …

  • After the Flush

    After the Flush collaborates with private tanker operators and municipal governments in Bihar, India to reduce the dumping of human waste into communities and waterways and to optimize the use of public treatment plants.

  • Adolescents 360

    Across disciplines and in partnership with young people, Adolescents 360 reimagines what it takes to make contraception relevant, valuable and accessible for girls aged 15-19 in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia—and beyond. In Nigeria, A360 is implemented …

  • Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health in Niger, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire

    PSI is scaling up demand for and access to an integrated package of sexual and reproductive health products and services, such as medication abortion, through a regional approach in French-speaking West Africa, contributing to the Ouagadougou Partnersh …

  • Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health for All in Zimbabwe

    Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health for All aims to deliver high-quality sexual and reproductive health services and strengthen quality assurance systems to improve access to reproductive healthcare and reduce use gaps amongst the most vulnerable …

  • Accessible Continuum of Care and Essential Services Sustained (ACCES)

    As a sub-recipient to Management Sciences for Health, PSI Madagascar expands access to voluntary long-acting reversible contraceptive methods to ensure broad access to a broad range of sexual and reproductive health choices. Through this project, PSI M …

  • ACCES

    ACCES activates sanitation markets in rural Senegal through the introduction of better products, training of entrepreneurs and demand creation.

  • A Total Market Approach to Scaling Up Effective Harm Reduction in Vietnam

    This project increases access to and demand for HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment products and services and builds national and provincial commitments to private sector contributions for harm reduction.

  • 99DOTS

    99DOTS is a monitoring method that checks for client adherence to TB treatment plans. It uses augmented packaging on the medication box and mobile phones to provide real-time adherence tracking at a very low cost. 99DOTS is currently being scaled in PS …

  • Keystone

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDDtMeMhoNA What is the Keystone Design Framework? Over the years, PSI has successfully evolved a social marketing approach that is based on key principles we believe help ensure the successful design and delivery of int …

  • Seattle may soon have a Bill Gates-funded at-home coronavirus test

    In the Seattle area, where dozens of people have tested positive for the new coronavirus and hundreds more may be infected and not know it, a new project funded by Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation could soon begin rolling out test kits that people c …

  • Can self-care health interventions help countries reach UHC?

    NAIROBI — On a recent afternoon, 19-year old Peter was approached by an NGO worker at the Kahawa West County Market on the outskirts of Nairobi who told him that around the corner he could grab a free take home HIV self-test. He walked over to a white …

  • New film tells the story of the journey from research to practice for self-injectable contraception in Malawi

    The film: Made in partnership with Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), FHI 360 and USAID, “The Power of Self-injectable Contraception“ communicates the findings of a study [1] on the effectiveness of self-administered depot medroxyprogesteron …

  • BMJ Supplement: Self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health and rights

    View Resource Where self care and healthcare intersect there is potential to amplify their beneficial impact on the health of individuals and populations. This collection of articles from The BMJ and BMJ Global Health focuses on sel …

  • Kenya: Sexual and Reproductive Health Services That Connects At-Risk Persons to PrEP in Kenya

    Nairobi — In June 2017 the World Health Organization (WHO) updated their list of medicines deemed essential, these are drugs that every person should have access to, should they need it, no matter where they are. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prev …

  • Kenya: How Self-Care Interventions are Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health in Kenya

    Nairobi — In June 2019 the World Health Organisation published consolidated guidelines on self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health. It defines self-care as the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, preven …

  • Kenya : l’autodépistage, un nouvel outil dans la lutte contre le VIH

    Dans le pays, 7 % de la population vit avec le virus. D’ici à 2020, quelque 5 millions d’autotests doivent être déployés en Afrique de l’Est. « Connaissez-vous votre statut sérologique ? » La question est pour le moins abrupte et intrusive. Mais dans l …

  • Au Kenya, une plate-forme numérique pour aider les jeunes filles à prévenir leurs grossesses

    Le centre de santé intégré Milele est une petite clinique privée familiale au cœur de Githurai-Roysambu, un quartier d’une banlieue défavorisée de Nairobi. Plus qu’un centre de santé, la structure fonctionne d’abord comme un foyer social dédié à la mèr …

  • Committing to the Future of Self-Care

    In 1994, the 179 governments represented in Cairo at the first International Conference for Population and Development (ICPD) adopted a bold and visionary Programme of Action, which set out to support women and girls as they harnessed their power for t …

  • WHO consolidated guideline on self-care interventions for health: sexual and reproductive health and rights

    Download Resource Self-care interventions are among the most promising and exciting new approaches to improve health and well-being, both from a health systems perspective and for people who use these interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) …

  • A New Frontier in Self-Care?: Self-Removal Options for Long-Acting Contraceptives

    This post originally appeared on FHI 360’s Contraceptive Technology Innovation Exchange platform. by Alice Cartwright, FHI 360 As new sexual and reproductive health products become available, people increasingly want to take an active participatory rol …

  • Celebrating self-care month: Six ways FHI 360 is advancing the self-care agenda for sexual and reproductive health

    Self-management. Self-testing. Self-awareness. These are three pillars of self-care interventions that can help promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women, men, and youth according to new guidelines released by the World Heal …

  • The Four Dimensions of Self-Care

    by Pierre Moon, PSIFor millennia, people have taken measures to care for themselves—prevent disease, promote health and cope with illness and disability—without a healthcare provider. While self-care is an old concept, new approaches have expanded the …

  • Self-Care: The New Frontier for Healthcare

    This infographic appears in PSI’s Impact magazine, released in tandem with Women Deliver 2019, as part of an ongoing conversation about putting #PowerInHerHands. Banner image credit: PATH/Will Boase Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin

  • The Time is Now: Building the Evidence for Self-Care

    by Martha Brady, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health, PATH @PATHtweets We stand at the opportune moment for supporting women’s rights and capabilities by moving the self-care agenda forward with both enthusiasm and evidence. Self-care has b …

  • What do Health Providers Think of Self-Care?

    by Sandy Garçon, Senior Advocacy Manager, PSI Interventions that were previously available in the developing world only through health clinics are increasingly being found in the Global South on the shelves of pharmacies, at health kiosks or through co …

  • Self-Care Starts with Women

    by Kristy Kade, Deputy Executive Director, White Ribbon Alliance Global Secretariat & Co-Chair, What Women Want @WRAglobal Self-care is not new, but it’s recently become more firmly embedded within the larger global health and development agenda. N …

  • Power is Ripe for Reinvention

    by Karl Hofmann, President and CEO, PSI @KarlHofmannPSI Power, its abuses and its character are all around us in 2019. We see it in our politics, in our struggles over economic systems and business models. We see it playing out in the dispossession of …

  • Sparking the Self-Care Movement

    by Miles Kemplay, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation @CIFFchild For the last five years, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has invested in improving the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of young people. During this tim …

  • Why the WHO is Launching Self-Care Guidelines

    by Ian Askew, Director, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, including the UNDP- UNFPA- UNICEF- WHO- World Bank Special Programme (HRP), WHO, Geneva, Switzerland @IanAskew_HRP and Manjulaa Narasimhan, Scientist, World Health Organization (WH …

  • BMJ Supplement: Self-Care Interventions for SRHR

    Visit Resource A supplement supported by UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme – HRP and published by the BMJ looks at issues of self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The special supplement includes …

  • Trifold Brochure – Building a Self-Care Movement

    Download Resource New digital and medical technologies are making it easier for consumers, where applicable, to asses and manage their own SRH needs. Check out our brochure to learn more about what makes the self-care movement exciting. Resource Types: …

  • Women’s Self-Care: Products and Practices

    Download Resource Women’s ownership of their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a rights-based expression of self-determination. In this issue of Outlook on Reproductive Health, we address these rights and highlight recent information on tech …

  • A Policy Brief – Self-Care: A Cost Effective Solution for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health for All

    Download Resource As a means to meet global maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) targets, self-care has enormous potential. When promoted throughout the lifecycle and as an essential part of MNCH, self-care empowers women and their families with t …

ACCELERATING UPTAKE OF HEALTH INSURANCE

Governments in LMICs that have opted for a pathway toward UHC involving health insurance are implementing various measures to increase health insurance coverage. However, these efforts do not automatically translate into high uptake of health insurance or, among those enrolled, into increased utilization of services, as several barriers may still prevent individuals from enrolling or from utilizing the available services provided under insurance schemes. How can governments navigate the complexities of health insurance to accelerate uptake in LMICs?

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04

Building Resilient, Consumer-Powered Health Systems

PSI’s Health Systems Accelerator is built on 50+ years of experience collecting and elevating consumer and health system insights, scaling innovations and partnering with government and private sector actors to shape stronger, more integrated health systems that work for consumers. Learn more here.

CAN DIGITAL LOCATOR TOOLS IMPROVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH SERVICES AND PRODUCTS IN LOW-RESOURCE SETTINGS?

In the absence of a trusted and dedicated Primary Healthcare (PHC) provider, individuals often spend valuable time and resources navigating through a multitude of health facilities, visiting various providers in search of the right place to address their health concerns. Challenges navigating the health system can result in delays in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, potentially leading to poor quality of care and adverse health outcomes. One promising solution is the digital locator, which can enable healthcare consumers to promptly find high quality, affordable health products and services when they need them. What are current applications of digital locator tools?  How can they be improved? What are the challenges faced in utilizing these tools?

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Better data for stronger health systems

In the ever-evolving health landscape, a robust health management information system (HMIS) stands as a cornerstone of a strong health system. It not only guides decision-making and resource allocation but also shapes the well-being of individuals and communities. However, despite technological advancements that have revolutionized data collection, analytics, and visualization, health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to grapple with a fundamental challenge: fragmented data and limited effective data use for decision-making. What are some promising solutions?

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View our short interviews

In this video, Wycliffe Waweru, Head of Digital Health & Monitoring at Population Services International outlines three barriers to the use of data for decision-making in health in low- and middle-income countries. For each barrier, Wycliffe proposes some concrete solutions that can help overcome it.

In this video, Dominic Montagu, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco, and CEO of Metrics for Management outlines the three levels of data from private healthcare providers in low- and middle-income countries that need to be sequentially integrated into a country’s health information system to assure that governments can manage the overall health system more effectively.

Join us in this illuminating session as we explore the evolution of the STAR self-testing project, sharing insights, challenges, and successes that have emerged over the years. By examining the lessons learned and considering the implications for future healthcare strategies, we hope to foster a deeper understanding of the transformative potential of self-testing in improving healthcare accessibility and patient-centric services.   

This enlightening session promises to provide updates from WHO guidelines and share insights on the journey toward viral hepatitis elimination. It will also showcase outcomes from the STAR hepatitis C self-testing research and discuss how these findings could potentially inform hepatitis B antigen self-testing and the use of multiplex test kits in the context of triple elimination. Join us in this crucial discussion as we work together to fast-track the global journey toward a hepatitis-free world by 2030. 

In this two-part session, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PSI, and Population Solutions for Health will share lessons and best practices from rigorous research and hands-on implementation experience in Zimbabwe. The session will cover important topics like client-centered, community-led demand creation, differentiated service delivery, sustainable financing, and digital solutions. The sessions will also cover lessons in the program.  

In this session, PSI and PSH will share lessons for optimizing access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive HIV and sexual and reproductive health services. Topics will include enhancing the accuracy and reliability of sex worker population data, improving HIV case finding among men who have sex with men (MSM) through reverse index case testing, and scaling differentiated service delivery models. The session will also cover integrating mental health and substance abuse in key populations (KP) programming and lessons in public sector strengthening.  

Additionally, the session will showcase solutions that MSMs have co-designed, highlighting how this collaboration has improved the consumer care experience. It will demonstrate the critical role of KP communities in establishing strong and sustainable HIV responses, including amplifying KP voices, strengthening community-led demand, and establishing safe spaces at national and subnational levels for KP communities to shape and lead the HIV response.

This enlightening session promises to provide updates from WHO guidelines and share insights on the journey toward viral hepatitis elimination. It will also showcase outcomes from the STAR hepatitis C self-testing research and discuss how these findings could potentially inform hepatitis B antigen self-testing and the use of multiplex test kits in the context of triple elimination. Join us in this crucial discussion as we work together to fast-track the global journey toward a hepatitis-free world by 2030. 

In this two-part session, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PSI, and PSH will share lessons and best practices from rigorous research and hands-on implementation experience in Zimbabwe. The session will cover important topics like client-centered, community-led demand creation, differentiated service delivery, sustainable financing, and digital solutions. The sessions will also cover lessons in program management. These insights are applicable beyond Zimbabwe and can be used to scale up HIV prevention efforts in the region.

03

Scaling Digital Solutions for Disease Surveillance

Strong surveillance systems are essential to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. Since 2019, PSI has worked alongside the Ministries of Health in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam to strengthen disease surveillance systems and response. Learn more here.

02

Misinformation and Vaccine Hesitancy

As COVID-19 spread globally, so did misinformation about countering the pandemic. In response, PSI partnered with Meta to inspire 160 million people to choose COVID-19 preventative behaviors and promote vaccine uptake. Watch the video to learn how. 

01

The Frontline of Epidemic Preparedness and Response 

Early warning of possible outbreaks, and swift containment actions, are key to preventing epidemics: disease surveillance, investigation and response need to be embedded within the communities. Public Health Emergency Operations Centers (PHEOCs) are designed to monitor public health events, define policies, standards and operating procedures, and build capacity for disease surveillance and response. Learn more here. 

HOW COULD PRIVATE SECTOR PHARMACIES AND DRUG SHOPS ADVANCE PROGRESS TOWARDS UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE?

Private sector pharmacies and drug shops play an important role in improving access to essential health services and products for millions of people living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where healthcare resources are often limited. However, the way in which these outlets are, or are not, integrated into health systems holds significant importance. Do they serve as facilitators of affordable, high-quality care? Or have they become sources of substandard health services and products?

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The Consumer as CEO

For over 50 years, PSI’s social businesses have worked globally to generate demand, design health solutions with our consumers, and work with local partners to bring quality and affordable healthcare products and services to the market. Now consolidating under VIYA, PSI’s first sexual health and wellness brand and social business, our portfolio represents the evolution from traditionally donorfunded projects towards a stronger focus on sustainability for health impact over the long term. Across 26 countries, the VIYA model takes a locally rooted, globally connected approach. We have local staff, partners and providers with a deep understanding of the markets we work in. In 2022, we partnered with over 47,000 pharmacies and 10,000 providers to reach 11 million consumers with products and services, delivering 137 million products. VIYA delivers lasting health impact across the reproductive health continuum, from menstruation to menopause. Consumer insights drive our work from start to finish. Their voices, from product exploration to design, launch, and sales, ensure that products not only meet consumers’ needs but exceed their expectations. The consumer is our CEO. 

In 2019, our human-centered design work in East Africa explored ways that our work could support and accompany young women as they navigate the various choices required for a healthy, enjoyable sexual and reproductive life. Harnessing insights from consumers, VIYA is revolutionizing women’s health by addressing the confusion, stigma, and unreliability surrounding sexual wellness. Across five markets – Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Pakistan – VIYA utilizes technology to provide women with convenient, discreet, and enjoyable tools for making informed choices about their bodies. The platform offers a wealth of high-quality sexual wellness information, covering topics from periods to pleasure in an accessible and relatable manner. Additionally, VIYA fosters a supportive community where users can share experiences and receive guidance from counselors. In 2023, VIYA will begin offering a diverse range of sexual wellness products and connect users with trusted healthcare providers, ensuring comprehensive care tailored to individual needs.  

Digitalizing contraceptive counseling to reach rural women and girls in Ethiopia

By: Fana Abay, Marketing and Communications Director, PSI Ethiopia 

In rural Ethiopia, women and girls often face significant barriers in accessing healthcare facilities, which can be located hours away. Moreover, there is a prevailing stigma surrounding the use of contraception, with concerns about potential infertility or the perception of promiscuity. To address these challenges, the Smart Start initiative has emerged, linking financial well-being with family planning through clear and relatable messaging that addresses the immediate needs of young couples—planning for the lives and families they envision. Smart Start takes a community-based approach, utilizing a network of dedicated Navigators who engage with women in their localities. These Navigators provide counseling and refer interested clients to Health Extension Workers or healthcare providers within Marie Stopes International-operated clinics for comprehensive contraceptive counseling and services.  

In a significant development, PSI Ethiopia has digitized the proven counseling messaging of Smart Start, expanding its reach to more adolescent girls, young women, and couples. This approach aligns with the priorities set by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MOH) and is made possible through funding from Global Affairs Canada. The interactive and engaging digital messaging has revolutionized counseling services, enabling clients to make informed and confident decisions regarding both their finances and contraceptive choices. 

Clients who received counseling with the digital Smart Start tool reported a higher understanding of their options and were more likely to choose contraception (74 percent) compared to those counseled with the manual version of Smart Start (64 percent). Navigators also found the digital tool more effective in connecting with clients, leading to higher ratings for the quality of their counseling. 

By December 2023, PSI Ethiopia, working in close collaboration with the MOH, aims to reach over 50 thousand new clients by leveraging the digital counseling tool offered by Smart Start. This innovative approach allows for greater accessibility and effectiveness in providing sexual and reproductive health services, contributing to improved reproductive health outcomes for women and couples across the country. 

Building community health worker capacity to deliver malaria care

By: Christopher Lourenço, Deputy Director, Malaria, PSI Global 

Community health workers (CHWs) are critical lifelines in their communities. Ensuring they have the training, support, and equipment they need is essential to keep their communities safe from malaria, especially in the hardest to reach contexts. 

For example, in Mali, access to formal health services remains challenging, with four in ten people living several miles from the nearest health center, all without reliable transportation or access. In 2009, the Ministry of Health adopted a community health strategy to reach this population. The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) Impact Malaria project, funded by USAID and led by PSI, supports the Ministry with CHW training and supervision to localize health services.  

In 2022, 328 thousand malaria cases were recorded by CHWs); 6.5 thousand severe malaria cases were referred to health centers, according to the national health information system. 

During that time, the PMI Impact Malaria project (IM) designed and supported two rounds of supportive supervision of 123 CHWs in their workplaces in the IM-supported regions of Kayes and Koulikoro. This included developing and digitizing a standardized supervision checklist; and developing a methodology for selecting which CHWs to visit. Once a long list of CHW sites had been determined as accessible to supervisors for a day trip (including security reasons), the supervisors telephoned the CHWs to check when they would be available to receive a visit [as being a CHW is not a full-time job, and certain times of the year they are busy with agricultural work (planting, harvesting) or supporting  health campaigns like mosquito net distribution].  

Supervisors directly observed how CHWs performed malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and administered artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). They recorded CHW performance using the digitized checklist, interviewed community members, reviewed records, and provided on-the-spot coaching. They also interviewed the CHWs and tried to resolve challenges they expressed, including with resupply of commodities or equipment immediately or soon afterwards.  

Beyond the observed interactions with patients, supervisors heard from community members that they were pleased that CHWs were able to provide essential malaria services in the community. And the data shows the impact. 

In IM-supported areas of Mali, 36% of CHWs in the first round were competent in performing the RDT, which rose to 53% in the second. 24% of CHWs in the first round compared to 38% in the second were competent in the treatment of fever cases and pre-referral counseling. Between both rounds, availability of ACT increased from 80 percent to 90 percent. 

Supportive supervision with interviews and observations at sites improved the basic competencies of CHWs between the first and second rounds, and additional rounds will help to understand the longer-term programmatic benefits.

Safiya Ahmed, from Oromia region of Ethiopia, is seen immersed in transformative technical training on floor solutions and SATO pan installation

Taking a market-based approach to scale sanitation in Ethiopia

By: Dr. Dorothy Balaba, Country Representative, PSI Ethiopia  

In Ethiopia, PSI leads the implementation of USAID Transform WASH (T/WASH) activity with consortium partners, SNV and IRC WASH. Contrary to traditional models that rely on distribution of free or heavily subsidized sanitation products, T/WASH utilizes a market-based sanitation approach. This approach creates sustainable and affordable solutions, by integrating market forces and supporting businesses to grow, while creating demand at the household level. 

During the last six years, T/WASH has worked alongside the private sector and government (Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water and Energy, and Ministry of Labor and Skills), among other stakeholders, to increase household access to affordable, quality sanitation products and services. For example, more than 158 thousand households have invested in upgraded sanitation solutions with rapid expansion to come as the initiative scales and market growth accelerates. 

T/WASH has successfully trained more than 500 small businesses, including community masons and other construction-related enterprises, with technical know-how in sanitation product installation, operational capacities, and marketing and sales skills needed to run successful, growing businesses. The Ethiopian government is now scaling the approach to all districts through various national, regional, and local institutions with requisite expertise. T/WASH has also worked the One WASH National Program, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water and Energy, and Ministry of Labor and Skills to examine policies that influence increased household uptake of basic WASH services, such as targeted sanitation subsidies, tax reduction to increase affordability, and increased access to loan capital for business seeking to expand and households needing help to improve their facilities. 

To share the journey to market-based sanitation, representatives of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and the USAID Transform WASH team took to the stage at the UN Water Conference in 2023.

“Rather than relying on traditional aid models that often distribute free or heavily subsidized sanitation products, market-based sanitation creates sustainable and affordable solutions, integrating market forces and supporting businesses to grow.”  

— Michael Negash, Deputy Chief Party of T/WASH 

Promoting self-managed care like Self-testing and Self-Sampling

By: Dr Karin Hatzold, Associate Director HIV/TB/Hepatitis

Building upon the success and insights gained from our work with HIV self-testing (HIVST), PSI is actively applying this approach to better integrate self-care, more broadly, in the health system beginning with Hepatitis C and COVID-19. Self-testing has emerged as a powerful tool to increase access to integrated, differentiated, and decentralized health services, accelerating prevention, care, and treatment for various diseases, while also increasing health system resilience against COVID-19.

Here’s how we got there.

Seven years ago, the landscape of HIV self-testing lacked global guidelines, and only the U.S., the UK and France had policies in place that allowed for HIV self-testing. High disease burdened countries in low-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs) lacked evidence and guidance for HIVST despite major gaps in HIV diagnosis.

However, through the groundbreaking research from the Unitaid-funded HIV Self-Testing Africa (STAR) initiative led by PSI, we demonstrated that HIVST is not only safe and acceptable but also cost-effective for reaching populations at high risk with limited access to conventional HIV testing. This research played a pivotal role in informing the normative guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and shaping policies at the country level. As a result, more than 108 countries globally now have reported HIVST policies, with an increasing number of countries implementing and scaling up HIVST to complement and  partially replace conventional testing services. This became especially significant as nations tried to sustain HIV services amidst the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By leveraging our expertise, PSI is conducting research to identify specific areas and populations where the adoption of Hepatitis C and COVID-19 self-testing could significantly enhance testing uptake and coverage. This research serves as the foundation for developing targeted strategies and interventions to expand access to self-testing, ensure that individuals have convenient and timely options for testing for these diseases, and are linked to care, treatment and prevention services through differentiated test and treat approaches.

Using peer coaches to counter HIV stigma in South Africa

By: Shawn Malone, Project Director, HIV/AIDS Gates Project in South Africa, PSI Global

In South Africa, where the HIV response has lagged in reaching men, PSI’s Coach Mpilo model has transformed the role of an HIV counselor or case manager into that of a coach and mentor who provides empathetic guidance and support based on his own experience of living with HIV. Coaches are men who are not just stable on treatment but also living proudly and openly with HIV. Situated within the community and collaborating closely with clinic staff, they identify and connect with men struggling with barriers to treatment and support them in overcoming those barriers, whether that means navigating the clinic or disclosing their HIV status to their loved ones.

PSI and Matchboxology first piloted the model in 2020 with implementing partners BroadReach Healthcare and Right to Care as well as the Department of Health in three districts of South Africa. Since then, the model has been rolled out by eight implementing partners in South Africa, employing more than 300 coaches and reaching tens of thousands of men living with HIV. To date, the model has linked 98 percent of clients to care and retained 94 percent of them, in sharp contrast to the estimated 70 percent of men with HIV in South Africa who are currently on treatment.

Given the success of the program, South Africa’s Department of Health and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have each embraced the Coach Mpilo model in their health strategy and are embedding it in their strategies and programs. 

“The men we spoke to [while I was traveling to South Africa for a PrEP project with Maverick Collective by PSI] were not only decidedly open to the idea of taking a daily pill…many were willing to spread the word and encourage friends to get on PrEP too. We were able to uncover and support this new way forward because we had flexible funding to focus on truly understanding the community and the root barriers to PrEP adoption. This is the philanthropic funding model we need to effectively fight the HIV epidemic, and it’s beneficial for all sorts of social challenges.”

– Anu Khosla, Member, Maverick Collective by PSI

simplifying consumers’ journey to care in Vietnam

By: Hoa Nguyen, Country Director, PSI Vietnam

In late 2022, with funding from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, PSI and Babylon partnered to pilot AIOI in Vietnam. By combining Babylon’s AI symptom checker with PSI’s health provider locator tool, this digital health solution analyzes symptoms, recommends the appropriate level of care, and points them to health providers in their local area. The main goal is to support people in low-income communities to make informed decisions about their health and efficiently navigate the healthcare system, while reducing the burden on the healthcare workforce. The free 24/7 service saves people time and subsequent loss of income from taking time off work and from having to pay unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses. Under our global partnership with Meta, PSI launched a digital campaign to put this innovative product in the hands of people in Vietnam. By the end of June 2023 (in the nine months since product launch), 210 thousand people accessed the AIOI platform; 2.4 thousand people created personal accounts on the AIOI website, 4.8 thousand triages to Symptom Checker and linked 2.2 thousand people to health facilities.   

Babylon’s AI symptom checker and PSI’s health provider locator tool captures real-time, quality data that supports health systems to plan, monitor and respond to consumer and provider needs. But for this data to be effective and useable, it needs to be available across the health system. Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard provides a common, open standard that enables this data exchange.
PSI’s first consumer-facing implementation of FHIR was launched in September 2022 as part of the Babylon Symptom Checker project in Vietnam, enabling rapid alignment between PSI and Babylon’s FHIR-enabled client records systems. PSI already has several other consumer health FHIR implementations under active development in 2023, including PSI’s collaboration with the Kenya MOH to launch a FHIR-enabled WhatsApp national health line for COVID-19 health information. PSI will also look to adopt and scale health workforce-facing FHIR-enabled tools, such as OpenSRP2, which will be piloted in an SRH-HIV prevention project in eSwatini in partnership with Ona by the end of 2023.

— Martin Dale, Director, Digital Health and Monitoring, PSI

Engaging the private sector for disease surveillance in Myanmar

By: Dr. Zayar Kyaw, Head of Health Security & Innovation, PSI Myanmar

Under a three-year investment from the Indo-Pacific Center for Health Security under Australia’s Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), PSI is enhancing disease outbreak surveillance and public health emergency preparedness and response capacities in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. When PSI conducted a review of existing disease surveillance systems in Myanmar, it identified several gaps: although the Ministry of Health had systems in place for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other communicable diseases, they were fragmented, with different reporting formats and reliance on paper-based reporting. In addition, private sector case surveillance data were not routinely captured, yet private clinics and pharmacies are the dominant health service delivery channel in the country. This hindered effective disease prevention and control efforts.

Building on our extensive private sector malaria surveillance work under the BMGF-funded GEMS project in the Greater Mekong Subregion, PSI implemented a case-based disease notification system using social media channels to overcome the limitations of paper-based and custom-built mobile reporting tools. These chatbots, accessible through popular social media platforms like Facebook Messenger and Viber, proved to be user-friendly and required minimal training, maintenance, and troubleshooting. The system was implemented in more than 550 clinics of the Sun Quality Health social franchise network as well as nearly 470 pharmacies. The captured information flows to a DHIS2 database used for real-time monitoring and analysis, enabling rapid detection of potential outbreaks. Local health authorities receive instant automated SMS notifications, enabling them to promptly perform case investigation and outbreak response.

In 2022, private clinics reported 1,440 malaria cases through the social media chatbots, while community mobilizers working with 475 private providers and community-based malaria volunteers reported more than 5,500 cases, leading to the detection of two local malaria outbreaks. Local health authorities were instantly notified, allowing them to take action to contain these surges in malaria transmission. During the same time, pharmacies referred 1,630 presumptive tuberculosis cases for confirmatory testing – a third of which were diagnosed as tuberculosis and enrolled into treatment programs.

Training health workers in Angola

By: Anya Fedorova, Country Representative, PSI Angola  

The shortage of skilled health workers is widely acknowledged as a significant barrier to achieving Universal Health Coverage. To address this challenge, PSI supported ministries of health to develop a digital ecosystem that brings together stewardship, learning, and performance management (SLPM). The ecosystem enhances training, data-driven decision-making, and the efficiency of healthcare delivery.

Here’s what it looks like in practice.

In July 2020, PSI Angola, alongside the Angolan digital innovation company Appy People, launched Kassai, an eLearning platform that targets public sector health workers in Angola. Through funding from USAID and the President’s Malaria Initiatve (PMI), Kassai features 16 courses in malaria, family planning, and maternal and child health – with plans to expand learning topic areas through funding from ExxonMobil Foundation and private sector companies. A partnership with UNITEL, the largest telecommunication provider in Angola, provides all public health providers in Angola free internet access to use Kassai.

Kassai’s analytics system to follow learners’ success rate and to adjust the course content to learners’ performance and needs. Kassai analytics are integrated with DHIS2 – the Health Management Information System (HMIS) of Angolan MOH, to be able to link learners’ knowledge and performance with the health outcomes in the health facilities.  The analytics track learners’ performance by course and gives visibility by health provider, health facility, municipality, and province. Each course has pre-and post-evaluation tests to track progress of learning, too.

By the end of 2022, there were 6,600 unique users on the Kassai platform and 31,000 course enrollments. PSI Angola’s partnership with UNITEL, the largest telecommunication provider in Angola, allows for free internet access to learn on the Kassai for all public health providers in Angola. Building on its success for malaria training, Kassai now also provides courses in family planning, COVID-19, and maternal and child health. This reduces training silos and provides cross-cutting benefits beyond a single disease.

Implementing the SLPM digital ecosystem brings numerous benefits to health systems. It allows for more strategic and efficient workforce training and performance management, enabling ministries of health to track changes in health workers’ knowledge, quality of care, service utilization, and health outcomes in real time. The ecosystem also supports better stewardship of mixed health systems by facilitating engagement with the private sector, aligning training programs and standards of care, and integrating private sector data into national HMIS. Furthermore, it enables the integration of community health workers into the broader health system, maximizing their impact and contribution to improving health outcomes and strengthening primary healthcare.

OUR COMMITMENTS

WHISTLEBLOWER AND ANTI-RETALIATION

PSI does not tolerate retaliation or adverse employment action of any kind against anyone who in good faith reports a suspected violation or misconduct under this policy, provides information to an external investigator, a law enforcement official or agency, or assists in the investigation of a suspected violation, even if a subsequent investigation determines that no violation occurred, provided the employee report is made in good faith and with reasonable belief in its accuracy.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Global Code of Business Conduct And Ethics

PSI’s code sets out our basic expectations for conduct that is legal, honest, fair, transparent, ethical, honorable, and respectful. It is designed to guide the conduct of all PSI employees—regardless of location, function, or position—on ethical issues they face during the normal course of business. We also expect that our vendors, suppliers, and contractors will work ethically and honestly.

OUR COMMITMENTS

The Future of Work

With overarching commitments to flexibility in our work, and greater wellbeing for our employees, we want to ensure PSI is positioned for success with a global and holistic view of talent. Under our new “work from (almost) anywhere,” or “WFAA” philosophy, we are making the necessary investments to be an employer of record in more than half of U.S. states, and consider the U.S. as one single labor market for salary purposes. Globally, we recognize the need to compete for talent everywhere; we maintain a talent center in Nairobi and a mini-hub in Abidjan. PSI also already works with our Dutch-based European partner, PSI Europe, and we’re creating a virtual talent center in the UK.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Meaningful Youth Engagement

PSI is firmly committed to the meaningful engagement of young people in our work. As signatories of the Global Consensus Statement on Meaningful Adolescent & Youth Engagement, PSI affirms that young people have a fundamental right to actively and meaningfully engage in all matters that affect their lives. PSI’s commitments aim to serve and partner with diverse young people from 10-24 years, and we have prioritized ethics and integrity in our approach. Read more about our commitments to the three core principles of respect, justice and Do No Harm in the Commitment to Ethics in Youth-Powered Design. And read more about how we are bringing our words to action in our ICPD+25 commitment, Elevating Youth Voices, Building Youth Skills for Health Design.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Zero Tolerance for Modern-Day Slavery and Human Trafficking

PSI works to ensure that its operations and supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking. Read more about this commitment in our policy statement, endorsed by the PSI Board of Directors.

OUR COMMITMENTS

UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT

Since 2017, PSI has been a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, a commitment to align strategies and operations with universal principles of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. Read about PSI’s commitment to the UN Global Compact here.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Environmental Sustainability

The health of PSI’s consumers is inextricably linked to the health of our planet. That’s why we’ve joined the Climate Accountability in Development as part of our commitment to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Read about our commitment to environmental sustainability.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity

PSI does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. Read our full affirmative action and equal employment opportunity policy here.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Zero Tolerance for Discrimination and Harassment

PSI is committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment that fosters harmonious, productive working relationships and encourages mutual respect among team members. Read our policy against discrimination and harassment here.

PSI is committed to serving all health consumers with respect, and strives for the highest standards of ethical behavior. PSI is dedicated to complying with the letter and spirit of all laws, regulations and contractual obligations to which it is subject, and to ensuring that all funds with which it is entrusted are used to achieve maximum impact on its programs. PSI provides exceptionally strong financial, operational and program management systems to ensure rigorous internal controls are in place to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse and ensure compliance with the highest standards. Essential to this commitment is protecting the safety and well-being of our program consumers, including the most vulnerable, such as women and children. PSI maintains zero tolerance for child abuse, sexual abuse, or exploitative acts or threats by our employees, consultants, volunteers or anyone associated with the delivery of our programs and services, and takes seriously all complaints of misconduct brought to our attention.

OUR FOCUS

Diversity and Inclusion

PSI affirms its commitment to diversity and believes that when people feel respected and included they can be more honest, collaborative and successful. We believe that everyone deserves respect and equal treatment regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural background or religious beliefs. Read our commitment to diversity and inclusion here. Plus, we’ve signed the CREED Pledge for Racial and Ethnic Equity. Learn more.

OUR COMMITMENTS

Gender Equality

PSI affirms gender equality is a universal human right and the achievement of it is essential to PSI’s mission. Read about our commitment to gender equality here.

Cover

01 #PeoplePowered

02 Breaking Taboos

03 Moving Care Closer to Consumers

04 Innovating on Investments

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