Health Communication Partnership (HCP)
The Health Communication Partnership Zambia aims to contribute to the “improved health status of Zambians” by supporting “Zambians taking action for health”. Begun in August 2004, the HCP partnership includes the John Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Save the Children, the Academy for Educational Development together with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, and with Tulane University serving the role of external evaluator.
HCP supports activities at different levels of the health care system working in close collaboration with a range of organisations including government health ministries and structures, local and international NGOs and community-based organisations. The programme works across all nine provinces and its four key strategies are to:
- Strengthen the capacity of communities to identify, plan and implement activities to address priority health and social needs
- Mobilise and support faith based organisations
- Mobilise and support youth to make positive life choices and contribute to improved health
- Coordinate and harmonise social and behavioural change communication strategies.
The Alliance has seconded two staff to the programme and further technical support is provided from Alliance Zambia itself. Each member of the partnership brings its own particular strengths and the Alliance focuses its support to community mobilisation and leadership training, and to gender and health issues.
