Powering PSI Ethiopia

Driving Impact: Nejaha’s Dedication and Passion to Improve Hypertension Awareness and Care

When we interviewed Nejaha, the first thing that immediately struck us was her infectious passion — a passion that effortlessly transfers to anyone who spends even a few minutes in her presence. It’s an understatement to say that she loves her job; Nejaha has dedicated the past seven years of her life to the Healthy Heart Africa (HHA) programme at PSI Ethiopia, where she serves as NCD Advisor.

Armed with a Master of Public Health degree, Nejaha’s career initially revolved around reproductive health, working in the community and health facilities. However, her life took an exciting turn when she came across a job post from PSI’s HHA Hypertension programme. She had never seen any development partner explore this field during her work in the health sector, and it ignited a spark in her. She was inspired to apply for the position even though she did not have specific experience in the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), thinking, “I should update my knowledge. I can understand and learn as long as I am interested.” This marked the beginning of her journey in Diredawa city administration and Harar region, with PSI Ethiopia, generously funded by AstraZeneca, pioneering the charge against hypertension.

The transition wasn’t without its challenges, but Nejaha was undeterred. The HHA programme became the first NCD project and faced resistance from government health workers when proposing early screening for hypertension. However, she persevered, supporting public health facilities, conducting campaigns and awareness initiatives that turned skeptics into believers. Today, Harar and Diredawa wholeheartedly associate PSI with NCDs, and Nejaha’s regular site visits and follow up have garnered appreciation from the local communities. She proudly states, “It’s a groundbreaking project; we have made a significant difference.”

The primary objective of the HHA programme is to raise awareness and build healthcare workers’ capabilities in identifying and managing hypertension. The project developed early screening processes, improved services for hypertension, and established protocol guidelines, registration books, and capturing tools. The approach involved free screenings in bustling bazaars, media campaigns, public relations initiatives, and work at the facility level. The project even commemorates World Hypertension Day and World Heart Day yearly, conducting community-level mass screenings providing flyers and patient passports in different local languages, panel discussions and press conferences.

Notably, Nejaha is the sole staff member dedicated to the HHA programme, a position that comes with its unique set of challenges, including the need to traverse between Harar and Diredawa to engage with facilities in both regions. Nevertheless, she remains undeterred in her mission to ensure the project’s success.

The programme currently operates in 12 facilities across Harar and Diredawa, and Nejaha personally ensures each one receives her attention at least once a month through her commitment to visiting each location. She underscores the sensitivity of their work and takes immense pride in being part of a project that genuinely changes lives.

Nejaha shares an unforgettable experience she had at a health facility known as Legehare. During multiple visits, she encountered discrepancies in the prevalence data for raised blood pressure, which she fearlessly challenged. Nejaha worked alongside facility staff, coaching them on the correct monitoring of blood pressure, resulting in a prevalence of 13%, a significant departure from their earlier assessments. Even after one of the staff members left the job, he called Nejaha to express his admiration, saying, “You have made me passionate and have integrity in my job. The fact that you are dedicated and come all the way to us to check, will always continue to inspire me.”

“What’s better than that?” she says. “What’s better than knowing my efforts have borne fruit that will last for a long time and make a difference in people’s lives?”

As she looks to the future, Nejaha acknowledges that retirement is on the horizon, but until then, she’s determined to continue supporting the elderly and continue working to raise awareness of hypertension among high-risk age groups. Nejaha’s story is one of dedication to a cause she is deeply passionate about, and her impact to improve hypertension awareness and care is nothing short of remarkable.