Abt Continues Involvement in Diarrhea and Pneumonia Prevention by Hosting Working Group Meeting

Two years ago Abt Global partnered with the global community to address preventable deaths due to diarrhea and pneumonia as a signatory to the Declaration on Scaling Up Treatment of Diarrhea and Pneumonia. The Abt-led Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) project continued Abt’s support of this effort by hosting the UN Commission on Lifesaving MCH Commodities Diarrhea and Pneumonia Working Group (DPWG) quarterly meeting in Abt’s Bethesda office on May 8-9. More than 46 people attended representing 40 partner organizations, including USAID, UNICEF, PATH, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
Damien Kirchhoffer of the Clinton Health Access Initiative speaks during a meeting of members of the UN Commission on Lifesaving MCH Commodities Diarrhea and Pneumonia Working Group (DPWG). The meeting, hosted by Abt Global on May 8-9, was attended by representatives from more than 40 organizations involved in the DPWG.

Photo credit: Doug Trapp, Abt Global The DPWG is a global coordinating body of representatives from development agencies, donors, NGOs, and the private sector who are active in diarrhea and pneumonia treatment scale-up activities. The DPWG is focused on 10 high-burden countries that account for more than 60 percent of global diarrhea and pneumonia cases: Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The DPWG is working to achieve treatment coverage of 60 percent to 80 percent by 2015 for children under five. SHOPS is USAID’s flagship initiative in private sector health. It works to involve nongovernmental organizations and for-profit entities in addressing the family planning, HIV, and child health needs of people in developing countries.   At the meeting, Vicki MacDonald, SHOPS Child Health Team Lead, gave a presentation about SHOPS’ work in Uganda and led a sub-group discussion on demand creation for promoting zinc/ORS treatment for diarrhea management in children under five years old. MacDonald has been an active member of the DPWG.   SHOPS’ engagement with the DPWG has enhanced key relationships with development agencies and influential donors working in the diarrhea and pneumonia community and helped harmonize activities while elevating Abt’s visibility globally.   Diana Silimperi, Abt’s Vice President for International Health, welcomed the group.  “I remember working on these important issues 20 years ago and I am pleased to see that we are continuing the good work through this group,” Silimperi said.