Grass-root health education strategies in Malawi
Kafwe C. Tembo · Journal of the Royal Society of Health · 1995
Various health education strategies have been observed to be practiced at the grassroots level in Malawi. One approach to communicate health knowledge and information in health education is by teaching people directly by a lecture that may be delivered at prearranged meetings. Generally, lectures stress the value of: good housing, good sanitation practice, personal hygiene, food and nutrition, child care, use of potable water, communicable disease control, and use of available health services in their communities. Another approach to health education is through the use of mass media (radio and newspapers and leaflets). There are articles on health issues in local newspapers. Their disadvantage is that there is delayed feedback with room for misunderstanding the messages; Malawi has a literacy rate of only 30% for women and 60% for men. Health education messages are further disseminated by using visual aids: posters, films, models, flip charts, and photographs. The Ministry of Health and many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) produce very good visual aids for teaching. Posters on AIDS are displayed in schools and colleges. Other widely practiced methods of communicating health messages to people include role playing through drama and singing health songs in promoting maternal and child health, nutrition, sanitation, and hygiene at clinics. Primary health care started in Malawi in 1979 by embracing both curative, preventive, and promotive aspects of health. Primary health workers (PHWs) in the villages are trained in basic curative medicine, public health work, and health education methods. Village health committees (VHCs) conduct health education. Women's groups, chiefs, church leaders, schools, farmers' clubs, and business associations publicize proposed health education programs in rural and urban communities.