One of USAID/EA’s regional partners, the “East Central Southern Africa Health Community” (ECSA-HC), formerly the Commonwealth Health Community Secretariat (CRHCS), manages health networking, capacity building, and policy activities that respond to reproductive, child and maternal health and infectious disease needs in 14 African countries.  USAID’s support emphasizes the use of better practices and assists in making institutions stronger, helping ECSA-HC to undertake strategic planning for its technical departments and carry out program activities throughout the region.  In practical terms, the activity is focusing on a variety of measures to improve the health of the population in each country. These measures include:

• malaria prevention, particularly in reducing the incidence of malaria during pregnancy and early childhood, and by helping to improve access to Insecticide Treated Nets by advocating for the removal of taxes and tariffs;
• improving the diagnosis and treatment of TB in HIV+ patients;
• organizing avian influenza workshops that help countries work together in developing strategies to deal with potential outbreaks;
• advocating for the adoption of standardized food fortification policies and practices in the ECSA region;
• strengthening health financing systems to help in the management of Community Health funds;
• focusing on key HIV/AIDS areas of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and providing routine testing and counseling;
• working to stamp out gender-based violence throughout the region.

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