BETHESDA, MD, U.S.A. — Abt Associates, Medtronic Foundation and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) congratulate Ms. Terry Ann Vetter, a community health worker in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, for her commitment and dedication to serving the people in her home community with support from the HealthRise program. Ms. Vetter was awarded the HealthRise Frontline Health Worker Award for Excellence in Community Care after being selected among a pool of frontline health workers at an Abt/Medtronic Foundation Global Stakeholder Event held in Bethesda, Maryland.
For more than 10 years, Ms. Vetter has been an advocate for underserved communities in KwaZulu Natal, where unemployment is high, health care access is challenging, and chronic conditions are common. Her dedication and love of community have made her an outstanding community care giver. She travels door to door to promote health awareness, including hypertension and diabetes education, and provides support to address a range of challenges that impact health and well-being. Trained by Expectra Health Solutions, a local NGO, she is able to screen for diabetes using a glucometer and measure blood pressure to check for hypertension. She knows all of her patients by name and is a valued resource for the health facility to link patients to follow-up clinical care. Ms. Vetter is one of the many community health workers in South Africa committed to reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through HealthRise.
Funded by Medtronic Foundation, HealthRise is a 5-year program that aims to contribute to the World Health Organization’s goal of reducing premature mortality associated with NCDs by 25% by 2025 through community-based grant projects in South Africa, India, the US, and Brazil. These demonstration projects empower patients, strengthen caregivers and frontline health workers, and advance policies to increase the detection, management and control of cardiovascular disease and diabetes for underserved populations and ultimately enable people living with chronic disease to successfully manage their condition over the long term.
For more information, visit https://www.health-rise.org/
About HSRC
The HSRC was contracted to serve as the Local Implementation Partner to carry out the HealthRise activities in South Africa and to provide technical support to the appointed grantees. The HSRC conducts large-scale, policy-relevant, social-scientific research for public sector users, non-governmental organisations and international development agencies. Research activities and structures are closely aligned with South Africa’s national development priorities. The HSRC with dedicated professional researchers, located in four provinces, seeks to serve as a knowledge hub to bridge the gap between research, policy and action, thereby increasing the impact of research. http://www.hsrc.ac.za
Contact
Manusha Pillai
082 389 3587
mpillai@hsrc.ac.za
About Abt Associates
Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research, evaluation and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates is regularly ranked as one of the top 10 global research firms and one of the top 40 international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in more than 40 countries. www.abtassociates.com
Contact
Stephanie Vasquez
(301) 347-5899
Stephanie_Vasquez@abtassoc.com
