What exactly is health promotion? Canadian Nance Cunningham – a flying health promoter – explains the impact of this vital role while on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF), training teams in Pakistan.
Izzy is a health promoter from the UK. She's out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she and the team are working to prevent outbreaks of disease...
The security threat in Am Timan is relatively low. As long as I have a radio, I am able to walk around the city on my own from 6am till dusk.
It’s shortly after 8am and I’ve just arrived, huffing and puffing, at the MSF base in Bikenge, Maniema Province. The health promotion team – Albert, Daniel and Gaston – is already there waiting for me. They look sharp enough in their collared shirts to meet the Queen of England; but today our task is to raise awareness in the community about malaria.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I say breathlessly. “I had to take a call – it was an emergency.”
They don’t make a fuss; but something in their regard says, “And this isn’t?”
