Luz Stella Losada and Jose Miguel De Angulo
MAP International Georgia, USA
Title: Community based chagas control
Biography
Biography: Luz Stella Losada and Jose Miguel De Angulo
Abstract
Over the last three decades, MAP International has used a Community Based strategy to resolve many public health problems in Bolivia. For two decades, we have implemented Community Based Chagas Control Programs focused on building community capacity to understand and diagnose Chagas, treat and follow-up patients, overcome myths that reproduce conditions for Chagas, prevention measures such as changing the vector's (vinchucas) ecosystem niche, introduce sanitary and hygiene practices, and building local capacity of the local health system for diagnosis, treatment and follow up of patients, among others. The Chagas control program uses a set of indicators to establish an epidemiological map of the presence of the disease, presence of risk factors, including the presence of the vector (vinchuca), and identified patients and support provided to complete their Chagas treatment. Community authorities and members play a central role in building local capacity to engage the Health System and synergically make the program sustainable. The presentation will describe the program and how to engage communities and government officials. It also will present the indicators used to for surveillance and monitoring achievements and impact. This presentation will show a variety of integrated community-based activities for Chagas control, such as training families, health promoters, and local authorities; environmental changes and home improvement to eradicate the vector; how we screen populations in the communities, confirm diagnoses, and follow up with patients; family and community support for patients; fostering networks between government agencies and grassroots organizations; mobilization for Chagas control, and other related subjects.