2016

To understand where Rotary Family Health Days fits into the world of Rotary, one has to understand the six focus areas of Rotary International and how the Rotary Action Groups (RAG) fits into it.

Rotary Family Health Days fit into "Disease Prevention & Treatment", and "Maternal & Child Health"

 

Rotarians for Family Health and AIDS Prevention is a Rotarian Action Group, recognized by Rotary International. The members are Rotarians from all over the world. The group is an independent Non-Profit Organization governed by 14 trustees, and led by a Chief Executive Officer with seven country teams in Africa. They have recently done a pilot project in India as well.

The group is also the mobilizing partner for Rotary International on the LARGEST Disease Prevention Programme after Polio namely Rotary Family Health Days.

 

Saving and improving 5 million lives by 2020

 

To save and improve the lives of children and families who lack access to preventative health care and education.

 

Rotary Family Health Days (RFHD) is the signature program of Rotarians for Family Health and AIDS prevention (RFHA).

It is an immense and impactful, Rotary-led Nationwide health campaign held over three days in multiple African countries. Providing comprehensive free health care and screening services at selected sites to communities around the country. The assessed value of the Programme is US $ 18 million.

 

Data collection is also very critical to the event, the reason being:

Services provided in previous years (also planned for this year) were the regular Department of Health HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign and the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). Nutrition and lifestyle choices, male circumcision, cervical cancer, malaria and various Rotary add on services. (optometry, dentistry and mental health to name a few) and the results?

 

 

1.         The buy in from National Department of Health is unprecedented – never before have I seen such huge input!  I sense great respect and trust building for the RFHD Programme.
2.        We are working in conjunction with their Communications Department as well as their outside Communications Agency to integrate the PHILA initiative and the She Conquers Campaign.
3.       The DDG has mandated his colleagues to reach 100 000 people at this year’s RFHD’s.
4.       He has also mandated them to engage all the external Government departments at each site such as Department of Social Development, SASSA, Department of Basic Education, etc.  This creates enormous opportunities for Rotary at a Provincial and District level.
5.       Last year, all 9 NDOH Provincial Departments reached their HIV targets – RFHD’s are credited with making a huge difference
6.       The CDC has stated that the RFHD’s have taken roots and is making a sustainable difference as a public private partnership.
7.       The Minister of Health and our DDG Dr Yogan Pillay met with our new corporate sponsors Gilead and the discussions were extremely favourable regarding the RFHD’s
8.       All media partners have renewed their support and MOU’s have been signed with the SABC Foundation for another 3 years support as well as with Caxton, Primedia, YFM, Independent Newspapers, NCRF, Media24 etc
9.       We are being acknowledged globally and throughout the African continent for our work – the recent IAS Conference was proof as all our partners were in attendance and RFHD’s were acknowledged as a worthwhile programme.  Rotary International also acknowledges the programme.
10.   The pilot impact study showed that we are making a sustainable difference.
11.   The big picture is so exciting – and the Rotarians on the ground need to know that they are playing such a critical role in relationship building, partnership acknowledgement and critical data collection in our country.