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Where We Work  |  Program

Chipatala cha pa Foni (CCPF)

Health Center by Phone extends the reach of the health care system to every community by providing access to certified health and nutrition information and services via a toll-free number. In addition, Health Center by Phone gives people the power to make informed decisions about when to seek further care at a health center.

Sep 12, 2023   |   Press Release

VillageReach Announces Findings of CCPF Post-Transition Evaluation

Lilongwe, Malawi (12 September, 2023) – VillageReach today announced the findings of a post-transition evaluation of its Chipatala cha pa Foni (CCPF) program in Malawi. The evaluation, conducted by an external consultant towards the end of 2021, found that CCPF quality remained strong and...

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May 18, 2023   |   News

Chipatala Cha pa Foni: Scaling Up Rural Health Services in Malawi

The GIZ Food and Nutrition Security Programme and the non-profit organisation VillageReach partnered to provide rural communities in Malawi with access to health advice through a hotline.

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Mar 1, 2023   |   Blog Post

Health Center by Phone - Keeping the Community in Mind to Improve Health Outcomes  

Clients and community health workers alike praised Health Center by Phone for its role in improving community health during the second day of the South African delegation visit to Lilongwe, Malawi, held from February 7-8.  The visiting group, consisting of government leaders, alongside administrative...

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Background

VillageReach’s Health Center by Phone solution originated in Malawi as Chipatala cha pa Foni (CCPF). CCPF has now become a model to replicate HCBP in other countries, as well as a model for successfully scaling solutions with government.

CCPF began in 2009 when the Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH) called on community innovators for ideas to increase access to maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) information. In partnership with the MoH, VillageReach developed a MNCH community-based health hotline, piloted in 2011, which now provides free information on health and nutrition to all Malawians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

CCPF is now one of the first government-run, nation-wide health hotlines in Africa.

People inspecting drone in field.

How It Works

Toll-free Hotline:

  • Professionally-staffed hotline providing information on health and nutrition
  • 24 hours / 7 days a week
  • Calls free on an Airtel phone
  • Hotline workers triage calls to doctors and refer callers for further care at a health center when needed

Voice Messages

  • Personalized voice messages for those with personal phones
  • Dial-in to retrieve messages from any Airtel phone for those without personal phones
  • Content specific to women of reproductive age, pregnant women, caregivers of children under one, or adolescent sexual and reproductive health

Resources

Report  |  2023

CCPF Transition to Government: Evaluation Report

Research  |  2023

From idea to systems solution: enhancing access to primary care in Malawi

Report  |  2020

CCPF Impact Evaluation

Research  |  2019

Scaling up a health and nutrition hotline in Malawi: the benefits of multisectoral collaboration

Presentation  |  2019

Chipatala cha pa Foni 2019 Evaluation Presentation

Fact Sheet  |  2019

Health Center by Phone (CCPF) Overview

Tool  |  2018

CCPF Case study by UNESCO-Pearson Initiative for Literacy

Program Impact

2018 Impact Evaluation Findings:

  • 87% of all callers who had been referred by CCPF to a health facility for further tests, care or preventive products reported going.
  • 95% were satisfied with the referral and 33% said they probably would not have gone otherwise.
  • 98% CCPF user satisfaction rating of good or very good
  • CCPF callers show increased knowledge, compared to non-callers, related to:
    • Nutrition
    • Maternal and Child Health
    • Sexual and Reproductive Health

Partners

Government

  • Malawi Ministry of Health
  • Malawi Ministry of Finance
  • Malawi Ministry of Justice

Technical Partners

  • Airtel
  • VIAMO
  • Baobab Health Trust
  • mHealth Alliance
  • Concern Worldwide Malawi
  • Support for Service Delivery Integration

Donors

  • USAID
  • PEPFAR
  • GIZ
  • J&J
  • JSI
  • GSMA
  • CHAI
  • Vitol Foundation
  • Project Concern International
  • Seattle International Foundation

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