Annual Report 2006
In the past year, DAHW supported 320 projects in 36 countries, with a sum of over € 14.6 million. Together with 12 cross-country projects (such as training in leprosy work) this amounted to a total sum of exactly € 14,778,688.46.
Activity report
Disease must not determine a person’s fate – this is why in 2006 DAHW continued to assist people who are suffering from leprosy and tuberculosis. In addition to medical treatment, it also supports social and economic rehabilitation. Simultaneously, DAHW has paid more attention to “neglected
diseases”.
After the high level of donations in 2005, many in DAHW were concerned about the future. These worries were unfounded. Despite the shock of the tsunami and the Pakistan earthquake our donors did not forget that constant systematic work is needed to fight diseases that can destroy livelihoods.
In the interests of managing its existing funds more efficiently, DAHW reduced the number of its projects by a little over five percent, to 320. It ensured there was no interruption to project work: some projects came to a natural end, whilst other activities were taken over by partners. DAHW gave more intensive support to regions where leprosy, tuberculosis and neglected diseases are significant problems. It supported country offices in 11 countries, including Ethiopia, Brazil and India.
People with AIDS are particularly susceptible to TB. In Addis Abeba we are keeping an eye on these co-infections. Pictuere: Thomas Einberger
Effective co-operation
Progress was made in co-operative activities with national programmes. In 2006, DAHW was able to keep leprosy control on the agenda of state health services. The better informed doctors, nurses and health workers are about the disease, the greater the chances are for timely diagnosis and the slimmer the chances of lasting damage. About 50 per cent of DAHW’s project funding was used to support combined leprosy and tuberculosis national programmes. High-quality medical care and efficient management are both important to these programmes. In addition, DAHW supports independent, decentralised projects, the majority of which are initiatives of the church or other non-governmental organisations, as well as training centres and patients’ associations.
New tasks and new diseases
Two-thirds of the project funding is used for the benefit of medical leprosy and tuberculosis work. Increasingly DAHW is also financing general health and social welfare projects, such as the reintegration of former leprosy patients into village communities. DAHW wants to prevent affected people and their families being stigmatised and, therefore, helps them to earn their own living. This can be, for example, through a small craft enterprise, or by giving them micro-credits to enable them to open their own little shop.
The relief association is also responding to new, previously neglected diseases. It has always placed great emphasis on further training, because only well-qualified staff can successfully implement a good plan. For example, in 2006 it developed a training plan, together with the World Health Organization (WHO), which aims to meet a future increased need for training.
Colombia can be cited as an example that illustrates the dramatic impact knowledge about diagnosing and treating diseases can have. As far as was possible in this politically unstable country, DAHW gave double-period lessons in schools and one-day seminars to civil servants or village elders in indigenous settlements. The authorities helped, for example, by providing rooms. In the course of the year more than 4,000 health observers, including patients, were made aware of leprosy and TB, from early diagnosis to prevention of complications. DAHW contributed almost 8,500 € on this campaign. And immediately after the workshops, the participants were able to identify several dozen new cases in their district. Treatment could then begin directly. In 2006 the Cesar region saw 100% of its TB cases cured.
Dr Libardo Gomez (standing) is DAHW’s medical advisor in Colombia. He lectures throughout the country. Picture: DAHW / Carola Mühleisen
Kitgum: A School for shelter
DAHW started a special project in northern Uganda. However much health care is at the heart of the Association, there are often additional problems to be solved. Thus DAHW has committed itself to build a school with an adjoining residential home in Kitgum. The school creates a sheltered space for children of the region, which has been shaken by the civil war. Many were horribly abused by the rebels; the whole population will remain traumatised for years, despite the latest peace accord.
Here, where DAHW has long been co-operating with reliable partners to promote people’s health, an ongoing school project can contribute a lot to help people to return to normal life. Indeed, this is a prerequisite for the accomplishment of help to self-help. Thanks to its many donors, it was possible to begin construction in late 2006. The inauguration is planned for 2008.
The school and the dormitories with first aid facilities in Kitgum will open in 2008. Picture: DAHW/Stefan Marx
What is to be done next?
Many tuberculosis drugs are 70 to 100 years old. As a consequence their efficacy is declining at a time when patient numbers are rising. DAHW works together with the Stop-TB Partnership for the development of new drugs – a research challenge that exceeds the capacities of a relief association. DAHW sets up local health centres in the 135 tuberculosis projects it is supporting, so that patients can easily get their medicines right up until the end of their course of treatment. DAHW is providing extra special care for people co-infected with TB and HIV.
In the fight against leprosy, DAHW holds a key position. More than three million people in the world are disabled as a result of this disease. The work of DAHW ensures that in the future they will not be forgotten by the state health services.
-> Background: Fighting tuberculosis in the slums of Delhi
-> Background: Leprosy - Rehabilitation based in the community
