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Dr. Alexander Aylett

Jun 15, 2013
04:10

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This looks like a great idea. The connections you are making between Climate Change and Health are particularly relevant. Thanks for contributing it to the Climate CoLab. As you know, midnight tonight (Eastern Standard Time) is the deadline. So if you have anything that you wanted to add or change, now is the time!

2013civilsocietyadaptationjudges 2013civilsocietyadaptationjudges

Jun 29, 2013
07:21

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Your proposal puts forward a good idea and responds to urgent needs facing health and related issues in Africa. Our feedback for finalizing your proposal: • A more detailed timeline is needed. Can you provide a work plan with goals for each year? • Your title has no mention of health. Why not? • How would the methodology be applied to 10 different countries with different climatic threats and responses?

2013civilsocietyadaptationjudges 2013civilsocietyadaptationjudges

Jul 29, 2013
02:04

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We see a mismatch between the budget and project scope; in order to be really effective, this project would need to be expanded into the multi-million dollar range.

Leisa Perch

Aug 9, 2013
09:48

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I really like the connection between climate change and health and particularly HIV/AIDS which is so rarely discussed in terms of the links through food security and nutrition, other diseases which can further weaken the immune system, the diversion of key financial resources or the overall development impact. More detail on some of the strategies may be useful and also what would be the immediate targeted results given the complexity of the challenge and the breath of country focus.

Monika Dos Santos

Aug 16, 2013
11:52

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Im really sorry - I changed employers just over a month ago (1 July) and lost track with this, notifications must have also gone to my pervious employers email address and for some reason did not go to my forwarding email address - is it too late to make amendments according to the feedback? regards, Monika

Rob Laubacher

Aug 17, 2013
08:59

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Hi Monika, The deadline for edits has passed, but you are welcome to post comments making any points you would like to add. Also, you can change the email address where notifications get sent by clicking on the little triangle in the upper right corner of the screen and selecting My profile from the pull-down menu. Once inside the profile, you can select Manage profile and settings and then make (and then Save) any changes you would like. Rob Laubacher For the Climate CoLab team

Monika Dos Santos

Aug 17, 2013
10:44

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Hi Rob Thanks for this! I have actually been drafting comments right now with the thought of posting here instead. Due to time constraints I have not been able to speak to the directors of AHP and FPD, so I may add something later - or they may comment directly as well (Saul Kornik and Gustaaf Wolvaardt). Once again, apologies for only seeing this now - I realised I hadn't heard anything for some time and decided to have a look at the website - and then saw the good news and all of this. Ive now changed my contact email address under 'My Profile.' PROPOSED TITLE CHANGE: Steps to an ecology of mind: climate change healthcare impact/adaption strategy in Africa (note that we have now added the term 'healthcare' to the title - although the proposed project would cover more than healthcare - for example, it would also include training and technical assistance on climate change related aspects). BUDGETARY ASPECTS - VALUE FOR MONEY We have aimed to be as conservative as possible with the budget and have drafted a 1st and total project budget (which does not upload well due to the table form) that includes personnel, training, advocacy, research etc. Below is a combined consortium summary budget outline (note that implementation in countries will take place on a rotating basis, and can be scaled down or up dependent on funding/resources). Personnel (8 - 10 infectitious disease/tropical medicine specialists, 8 -10 social workers & community health worker mentors per health district, environmental climate change health expert, project manager, overall programme management): USD 6 020 204 Policy Outreach and Engagement (Coordinating meetings with government and local stakeholders, policy experts in the field, workshops and drafting proposed policy changes and outputs, community engagement): USD 1 776 432 Biophysical Research (Performing health facility equipment assessments, health and disease profile assessments on climate-related illnesses and diseases across sites): USD 1 014 978 Social Vulnerability and Resilience Assessment/Intervention (Assessing disease profiles in communities, establishing protocols for preventative and early curative interventions by social workers and community health workers): USD 2 284 361 Curriculum Development and Training (Development of climate change course and conduction of training): USD 1 522 910 SUB-TOTAL: USD 12 618 885 INDIRECT COSTS: USD 2 362 714 TOTAL: USD 14 981 699 FPD and AHP have been in combined operation for over 16 years and are astute in developing multiple source sustainability models. Long term organisational and programme sustainability is therefore not dependant on the project, although the proposed project/funding increases the scope of the organisations’ work. To sustain and expand activities FPD and AHP will also continue to generate revenue through securing contract training work from government and industry, as well as continue recruiting additional sponsors. The sustainability of activities are to a certain extent dependent on FPD’s and AHP’s ability to build a long-term sustainable funding base for management development in Africa. Although this cannot be guaranteed, FPD’s and AHP’s track record supports the belief that it will be able to continue these activities on a long term basis. Past experience has shown that once high quality education and services are provided on a large decentralised scale at an affordable price, word of mouth creates substantial pressure to unlock additional resources including pressure on employers to cover cost and interest from donors to expand such training/services. The Conference Department at FPD is also financially stable, has multiple sponsors and donors and regional expansion is a key strategic objective. The climate change course proposed under this activity covers a range of competencies required to provide comprehensive knowledge, and can be conducted across consortia and anywhere in the world. Participants are provided with comprehensive self-study manuals designed to eliminate the need for participants to buy expensive textbooks or access libraries or journals that are often unavailable. This methodology is designed to limit time away from the work place, facilitate access to adult learning through presenting training and workshops in venues close to where participants work, reduce costs – by offering training at decentralised venues no costs are incurred for participant travel and accommodation, optimise the use of scarce local experts as faculty and mentors, and promote a culture of continuous learning through an alumni society. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT APPROACH IN EACH COUNTRY A core element of this project includes the involvement of affected communities, policy makers, campaigners, government and civil society as partners in each country. The project assesses methods for stakeholder involvement at all stages of the process. Stakeholders will be engaged by the creation of a representative reference team in each country (drawing on expertise from policy makers, researchers, civil society etc.) in the project. Year 1 Pilot/Assessment AHP will recruit a team of eight - ten infectious disease and tropical medicine specialists, who will have complementary generic family medicine skills. This team, project managed by a climate change expert in the field of health, will start in South Africa – working with the Department of Health, the Department of Environmental Affairs, consortium of researchers and trainers, and other relevant local civil society groups throughout the country – by assessing the current health burden of climate-related illnesses and diseases to establish a baseline going forward. All consortium members will also implement a cross sector longitudinal studies which will facilitate this assessment process. These specialists will be responsible for coordinating consortium and government partners in training, designing and implementing a programme to assess and improve access to healthcare in the most vulnerable populations with respect to, amongst others, the following: - Identifying shortages of clinical skills in vulnerable areas through a health workforce planning exercise. - Designing a disaster relief programme with government departments and communicating these to facilities. - Reviewing health and environmental policies as they relate to access to health for the most vulnerable communities. - Training a cadre of social workers who will, in turn, train two community health worker mentors. The community health worker mentors will work with government-deployed primary health care community health workers to tackle climate related health issues in communities. - Establishing information systems to track changes in climate-related illnesses and diseases to create early warning systems for governments. FPD will engage in the training of healthcare providers, governments and civil society members on aspects relating to climate change, as well as the conducing of impact studies of the training. AHP will be responsible for the recruitment, retention and support of healthcare practitioners in affected areas for the projects duration, together with the conducing of impact and cohort studies related to this. FPD and AHP will focus on developing capacity in the community and community outreach, and will dedicate funding and staff to these activities. The consortium is currently in discussion with Greenpeace (Africa) and envisage a collaboration with them that will target vulnerable communities and focus on resilience building and sharing knowledge. Clinical skill shortages identified in the workforce planning exercise will be recruited for by AHP – both locally and internationally. Any recruited skills will be hired into existing government posts for sustainability purposes. The Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Plan (MERP) will be implemented from the commencement of the project will address 1) data collection on all indicators, 2) tracking- progress against indicators will be reviewed at project management meetings, 3) verification – quality assurance mechanisms are in place that do verification of data integrity and random auditing of data batches, 4) analysis - each project activity manager will analyze data on a continuous basis and uses data to drive project implementation and for liaison with partners, and 5) reporting to the donor/s will be undertaken as per contractual requirement and to partners continuously. Year 2-4 Multi-National Implementation Once this pilot has been completed in South Africa, the consortium will use the skills developed in the pilot to rollout the programme on a rotating basis to the remaining countries identified in this proposal (the number of counties involved will be dependent on the funding sourced – AHP and FPD has extensive experience in working in all the counties cited in this proposal). Year 5 - Communication and Dissemination We aim to promote a better understanding of the impact of climate change and adaption strategies within the African context in terms of scientific outputs (publications in high impact journals, popular publications, conferences and workshops), policy briefs, production of an appropriate toolkit and/or documentary film as an advocacy tool and in community forums from undertaking and publishing research work to the provision of long-term access and preservation services.

Monika Dos Santos

Aug 17, 2013
11:00

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IMPACT PATHWAY/ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES The critical challenge in terms of climate change in Africa is the way that multiple stressors - such as the spread of HIV/AIDS, the effects of economic globalisation, natural disasters, the privatisation of resources, and geopolitical conflict - converge with climate change. Various climate related changes can adversely affect health, influenced by bacteria, fungi and chemical pollutants. On any continent decreased crop yield and crop failure signals trouble, but in Africa it’s a catastrophe. About 40% of the gross national product of African countries flows from agriculture, and about 70% of African workers are employed in agriculture, most of them on small plots of land. Faced with shrinking open grasslands, once solely pastoral people are settling down and planting crops of their own to supplement their livestock. New farmers tend to be poor, and their farms, set in these dry areas, are usually small and thus especially vulnerable to droughts, floods, and other weather hazards associated with climate change. When food sources dry up, Africans also turn to wild game. This survival strategy for food can also add pressure to already endangered species and potentially expose consumers to the diseases these indigenous animals might carry. As Africa has warmed, vector-borne diseases - those in which a pathogen is carried from one host to another, such as mosquitoes - have increased their range. Malaria, for example, has moved into higher African latitudes as highlands have warmed enough for mosquitoes to breed. Furthermore, as malaria makes its way into higher latitudes, it reaches people who did not develop malaria immunity as children. The result is an increase in adult mortality. When the apocalyptic effects of famine and pestilence appear, war is not far behind. The decreasing of pastoral lands, available tillable land, wild game, and available water sources all add up to more strife, subtropical dry arid areas may become a large source of conflict over the next half-century because there are still very high population growth rates in those areas, low economic growth rates, and a deteriorating environment. Ultimately we aim to save lives, as well as the environment. Our principle strategy is to enable healthcare accessability to those most affected by climate change and to educate healthcare practitioners, government officials and civil society on climate change related aspects. We aim to to build the capacity of local African institutions and societies at an early stage of the programme, and to promote advocacy and policy advancement within the climate change sector. Many healthcare professionals and environmental experts from Europe, the US and Canada want to work in Africa to improve their medical skills and knowledge, and to help those who need their help the most. Since 2005, AHP has sourced, recruited, placed and supported, on the ground, more than 2 500 foreign- qualified and local healthcare professionals at public healthcare facilities in South Africa. AHP has also placed 69 healthcare workers in Swaziland and Lesotho. All these professionals have been recruited and supported in partnership with governments, local civil society organisations, professional registration bodies and donors. The principle outcomes supported by the programme are expected to benefit a large number of poor people by empowering their livelihood, and by improving decision-making abilities through education and a technical assistance model at sub-national and national levels on adaption and resilience policy and practice. It will do this by strengthening the evidence base on what works and what doesn’t and why, and by working to improve the uptake and use of research by decision makers in developing countries and donor organisations. This is expected to result in better targeted, more appropriate, context specific and effective programming and practice at both national and sub-national levels.

Monika Dos Santos

Aug 31, 2013
01:15

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FOUNDATION FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (FPD) The Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) was established in October 1997 by the South African Medical Association (SAMA). FPD is one of the oldest not-for-profit organisations in South Africa. FPD is currently the largest self-funding educational provider in the health sector in South Africa, and offers training programmes thoughout Africa. The vision of the FPD is to build a better society through education and development. FPD’s mission is to ensure the availability of skilled professionals, allied workers and managers who will be able to deliver a service to the public that is affordable, evidence-based and congruent with international best practice. FPD engages in all three areas of higher educational scholarship namely: teaching and learning, community engagement and research. FPD’s research priorities focus on promoting operational research and research on educational practice. FPD encourages and uses action research as a methodology for professional development and transformational practice. http://www.foundation.co.za AFRICA HEALTH PLACEMENTS (AHP) Africa Health Placements (AHP) is a human resources solutions and services organisation whose work has been changing the face of public health in southern Africa, creating completely new outcomes for healthcare facilities that might otherwise be defunct by now. We define ourselves as ‘social profit’ because our work, while mostly donor-funded, delivers profit in terms of improved healthcare and social indicators. In addition, we value results and our organisational culture is strictly focused on delivery. With 20% of the world’s population, sub-Saharan Africa languishes with only 2% of the world’s physicians. Attracting and retaining health workers and competent management is critical to solving the massive public health issues in this region. AHP aims to enhance the healthcare delivery system in Africa through the provision of human resource solutions and services. Recognising the value of relationships, we conduct our work through people networks that allow us to mobilise resources within Africa and across the world. Africa’s greatest obstacle in the public and particularly rural healthcare environment is a lack of qualified healthcare professionals. Our aim is to fill the gaps, and ultimately to help people view the public sector in a new light - as truly viable and exciting career options. We work with a network of partners, including governments, the private sector and civil society in order to make this happen, using a model that we like to call ‘social profit’. The bulk of our services are donor funded and delivered free of charge, but we are also partially self-sustaining through a professional locum placement service. We operate in a businesslike manner, focused on service delivery and effective marketing communications. http://www.ahp.org.za GREENPEACE Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by: - Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change. - Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves. - Protecting the world's ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them. - Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. - Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today's products and manufacturing. - Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible farming. Greenpeace is present in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments or corporations but relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants. Greenpeace has been campaigning against environmental degradation since 1971 when a small boat of volunteers and journalists sailed into Amchitka, an area north of Alaska where the US Government was conducting underground nuclear tests. This tradition of 'bearing witness' in a non-violent manner continues today, and our ships are an important part of all our campaign work. We exist to expose environmental criminals, and to challenge government and corporations when they fail to live up to their mandate to safeguard our environment and our future. In pursuing our mission, we have no permanent allies or enemies. We promote open, informed debate about society's environmental choices. We use research, lobbying, and quiet diplomacy to pursue our goals, as well as high-profile, non-violent conflict to raise the level and quality of public debate. We believe that the struggle to preserve the future of our planet is not about us. It's about you. Greenpeace speaks for 2.8 million supporters worldwide, and encourages many millions more than that to take action every day. We take the name of our flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, from a North American Cree Indian legend. It described a time when humanity's greed has made the Earth sick. At that time, a tribe of people known as the Warriors of the Rainbow would rise up to defend her. As one of the longest banners we've ever made summed things up, "When the last tree is cut, the last river poisoned, and the last fish dead, we will discover that we can't eat money..." http://www.greenpeace.org