Public Health
In 2020/21, ACEF was adapted to an online delivery method due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this format, Commonwealth Alumni had the opportunity to design and create a video information session for their chosen community. The aim of the session was to communicate key information and raise awareness about preparedness and prevention for public health.
World Health Day, 7 April 2021
World Health Day aims to increase awareness around a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization (WHO). Promoting the importance of preparedness and prevention in tackling illnesses and diseases to increase health and well-being was critical during 2020 and 2021 as the world faced the global COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020/21, ACEF was adapted to an online delivery method due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this format, Commonwealth Alumni had the opportunity to design and create a video information session for their chosen community. The aim of the session was to communicate key information and raise awareness about preparedness and prevention for public health.
All the videos created are available to watch on the CSC’s YouTube channel now.
World Health Day ACEF Activities
You can read about the video activities delivered by Commonwealth Alumni to mark World Health Day 2021 below – as well as the impact these video activities had on their chosen community.
Raising awareness of cervical cancer screenings in Uganda
Four Commonwealth Alumni working as health professionals in the Kabarole District area in Uganda, created a video to raise awareness about regular cervical cancer screening to avoid late-stage diagnosis when treatment is no longer possible. The video encourages girls aged between 10 and 13 years to take up the HPV vaccination which can reduce their chances of developing cervical cancer. The group included lead organiser, Dorine Natukunda, a Medical Clinical Officer, Irene Kabachaki, a registered nurse, and Rebecca Balinja and Euphrasia Kabahuma, both registered midwives.
Health implications of informal e-waste recyclers in Nigeria
Commonwealth Alumnus Dr Oluwaseun Anselm, doctoral researcher in Environmental Chemistry at the University of Lagos, developed an informative video designed to target informal e-waste recyclers and improve their awareness of the health and environmental risks of their occupation.
Eye-health awareness in Kenya
Commonwealth Alumni Dr Cynthia Ogundo and Dr Rebecca Oenga, both ophthalmologists working in public hospitals in Kenya, teamed up with Dr Nyawira Mwangi, Senior Lecturer at the Kenya Medical Training College, Nairobi, to create a video information session to spread awareness about eye healthcare.
Youth mental health awareness in India
Commonwealth Alumnus Dr Vijaya Ragahavan, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Youth Mental Health Programme at the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), created a video to educate youth in India on the causes and symptoms of depression. The video highlights the importance of raising awareness about mental health and issues facing children and young people which are often overlooked in Indian society.