Capacity of community-based organisations to disseminate sleeping sickness information

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the capacity of established community based organisations (CBOs) to disseminate information on sleeping sickness control. DESIGN: Participatory interview process administered to randomly selected CBOs in a tsetse and trypanosomosis endemic area. SETTING: Busia district, Western, Kenya. RESULTS: Community based organisations especially women groups and farmer field schools that are internally initiated have the potential to contribute greatly to sustainable sleeping sickness dissemination strategies. The study indicated a mean reach of between 400-600 persons per day, but with a range of up to 1000 persons per day. CONCLUSION: Internally initiated women groups may be the best options for targeting health education programmes with the aim of ensuring sustained community participation.