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Success Story
Well-trained community
health personnel help
promote safe pre- and
post-natal care
Game Reduces Pregnancy Risks
Photo: Counterpart International
Community Health representatives
practice the W3 game under the
supervision of the instructor (in green).
“The W3 game provides
a community-level
methodology to recognize
the signs and dangers of
high risk pregnancy and
to manage the associated
risks,” said community
health worker Sana Barry.
Sana Barry, a community health worker and traditional birth
attendant for 18 years, works at the health hut in Diery Diouga
in the Region of Saint Louis, Department of Podor. Through
a USAID program focused on mother and child health, she
receives training on responding to childhood illnesses and
caretaking practices.
Most recently, Barry was able to work with a unique training
tool known as the W3 game. The game is used to improve
understanding and facilitate the recognition of danger signs
associated with high risk pregnancy. It helps others better
understand how regular pre- and post-natal consultations and
assisted deliveries can reduce this risk.
“This game permitted us to better understand pregnancy danger
signs, both before and after delivery and to seek attention
in a timely manner for pregnant women, new mothers and
newborns,” Barry said. “The W3 board game provided us with
a community-level methodology to recognize the signs and to
improve the management of high risk pregnancy.”
Barry noticed a remarkable change in the way mothers handle
their pregnancies after USAID became involved in maternal and
child health in Senegal.
“Before USAID started to work here, most women would try
to hide their pregnancies and start prenatal visits late in their
pregnancy,” Barry said. “However, with the maternal and child
health and nutrition activities such as sensitization campaigns,
home visits and the distribution of food, pregnancy is no longer
something to hide. Pregnant women have begun to participate
in recommended pre- and post-natal visits at the health post.”
The W3 game is one component in USAID’s multi-pronged
approach to supporting community health workers and
traditional birth attendants through information and education
campaigns and training. Since 2006, the program has provided
training to 86 community health workers. Additionally, 60 W3
game kits were provided and distributed to all the participating
maternal child health and nutrition sites in Senegal.
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