RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — FHI 360 announced today that the organization has been chosen to implement the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Communication for Healthy Communities program in Uganda.  The program will aim to increase adoption of healthy behaviors through strengthened health communication, with the goal of contributing to reductions in six priority health areas: HIV infections, unmet family planning needs, maternal and child mortality, malnutrition, malaria and tuberculosis.

Over the next five years, FHI 360’s Uganda staff and the Global Health, Population and Nutrition group will collaborate with the Uganda Health Marketing Group and a host of local and regional resource partners to strengthen and coordinate major components of Uganda’s health communication system at the national, district and community levels. Specifically, FHI 360 will design and execute evidence- and theory-based health communication interventions to improve knowledge, attitudes, norms, behaviors, and demand for services relating to the six priority health areas.

“FHI 360 has a long history of successful work with social and behavior change communication,” said Dr. Tim Mastro, Group Director for Global Health, Population and Nutrition at FHI 360. “We are honored to have been awarded the Uganda Communication for Healthy Communities cooperative agreement, and we look forward to continuing our efforts alongside our local partners to improve health outcomes in the country.”

Uganda is currently facing serious health challenges. Although the 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey found that infant and child mortality had declined significantly since 2006, malnutrition remains a major challenge that contributes to 60 percent of deaths of children under 5 and malaria is widespread. Uganda’s unmet family planning need is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa at 34.3 percent. HIV prevalence rose from 6.4 percent in 2004 to 7.3 percent in 2011. Uganda is also among the 22 high-burden countries for tuberculosis (TB), with HIV contributing to high TB-related mortality.

About FHI 360: FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender equality, youth, research, technology, communication and social marketing — creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today’s interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries and all U.S. states and territories.