"It's been rewarding for me to be part of the strategy to increase JSI's impact in the field. Sponsoring and participating in meetings such as today's helps us to contribute more fully to the global public health agenda, network with technical leaders, and learn from the best practices of others."
Samoa RPCV Carrie Hessler-Radelet writes: Advocating for Public Health in Washington
Advocacy in Washington, D.C.
Advocating for Public Health in Washington
Photo of Carrie Hessler-Radelet Carrie Hessler-Radelet
Director, JSI/DC
JSI employee since July, 1989
This morning I get up early to go to Capitol Hill, where the Global Health Council and USAID are sponsoring a Congressional briefing on the contribution of USAID to international global health efforts. I've been asked to speak on the importance of USAID support for integrated programming and JSI's experience with USAID in the field. It is a dreary day, cold and rainy. I'm worried that nobody will attend the briefing.
I enter the room and find that it is packed! More than 90 people are here, including several members of Congress and a number of staffers who work on health issues. I see many colleagues in the audience-friends from other USAID-funded cooperating agencies and advocacy groups that support funding for international development. USAID's Assistant Administrator for Global Health, Dr. Anne Peterson, opens the briefing by introducing USAID's Global Health portfolio and describing some important results that USAID has been able to document in recent years.
I am next. My presentation focuses on how USAID supports integrated programming in three ways: by integrating services within the health sector, integrating services across sectors, and helping to integrate donor assistance
First, I use as an example JSI's work in Russia, where we've been able to show dramatic increases in the percentages of antenatal, postpartum, and health services clients who have been counseled on family planning. My example for integration across sectors is Mali, where community theater and rap songs spread messages about the importance of staying in school and preventing HIV and AIDS. Finally, I discuss DELIVER, through which USAID supports donor coordination, helps to leverage funding from other donors, identifies and fills programmatic gaps, and helps countries manage their donor portfolios. Dr. James Sarn, Director of Health and Population at CARE, closes the briefing, presenting the multisectoral approach in CARE's community-based programs.
Over the past few years, JSI has increased our outreach and advocacy. Our extra efforts to disseminate the results of our work create a more supportive environment for international health, both here in the U.S. and in other countries where we work. Over the past year, JSI has sponsored more than 30 conferences and workshops to discuss best practices and lessons learned in topic areas from reducing maternal mortality in Afghanistan to HIV and AIDS prevention in Zambia.
It's been rewarding for me to be part of the strategy to increase JSI's impact in the field. Sponsoring and participating in meetings such as today's helps us to contribute more fully to the global public health agenda, network with technical leaders, and learn from the best practices of others.
