Championing the Health Worker: Meet Martha Mazana
By Mathew Mwetela, Communications Officer, BID Initiative
Apr 8, 2015
Posted in People
Photo: PATH/Mathew Mwetela
Did you know Sub-Saharan Africa has 24% of the global disease burden but only 3% of the world’s health workers? Health workers are at the heart of the BID Initiative and in celebration of World Health Worker Week, we take a moment to honor their commitment to improving health systems. Meet Martha Mazana, a health worker in charge at the Victoria Falls Clinic in the Southern Province of Zambia. As a User Advisory Group (UAG) member, Martha has already provided valuable input to BID Initiative solutions and is excited about how improved data collection, accuracy, and use will ultimately make her job easier and allow her to reach more children with her services.
- Tell us about yourself.
I like to describe myself as a humble, young, and a hard working person who loves to care for the sick. I am also passionate about writing and I also sing in my church choir. I have been working at this clinic for the past three years. Before that, I worked as a theatre nurse at Livingstone General Hospital.
- What would you point out as the top three challenges you are facing in the immunization program?
Challenges we face include the lack of information for children that may be missing immunizations, work overload and gaps with data captured.
- What is your role on the BID Initiative?
I am a member of the UAG. I participate in the sharing of ideas and giving feedback on the interventions currently being tested. The UAG also gives me an opportunity to learn from others on how we can best run our immunization programs.
- If the BID Initiative is successful, how do you envision your work changing?
I see our data capture improving. I also see us being more accountable since the BID Initiative will enable us to provide our leaders accurate reports and make informed decisions. The initiative will also give us the evidence we need to act on specific issues such as correct vaccine forecasting and distribution. Like I said before, it’s all about closing the gaps in the immunization program.
The commitment from health workers like Martha is key to the BID Initaitive’s success as we continue testing interventions at select facilities in our pilot province in Zambia. Once testing, designing, and fine-tuning is complete later this year, we will roll out across the province. Check back soon for more updates on our progress in Zambia and feedback from health workers!