Why we should sustain community health strategy

[kristine yakhama]

Dear All,

Happy belated new year greetings. 

The World Health Organisation defines Universal Health Coverage  (UHC) as: " that all people and communities can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. 

WHO Director General Dr.Margaret Chan called UHC the most powerful concept that public health has to offer, stating: " It is inclusive. It unifies services and delivers them in a comprehensive and integrated way, based on primary health care." 

The Astana Global conference on Primary Health Care made a global call to action: From Alma-Ata towards UHC and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where implementation has been a collective effort by government and non-state agencies. Good Health Community Programmes subscribe to the Astana declaration that emphasises strengthening of PHC as the most inclusive, effective and sufficient approach to enhance people's physical and mental health, as well as social well-being, and that PHC a cornerstone of a sustainable health system for UHC and health-related SDGs.

The declaration further champions for promotive,   preventive, curative, rehabilitative services and palliative care which must be accessible to all, stressing on the need to save people from poverty, caused by disproportionate out-of-pocket spending on health. There is no doubt the success of PHC will provide a clear path to UHC and the latter will only be successful with synergistic results in all the six building docks of a health system as described by the WHO : health governance, human resources, equipment and supply chain management, quality of service delivery, health information systems and sustainable health financing. A comprehensive health care model with a conscientious health financing strategy is further paramount to achieving UHC, models that should be developed in colation of other development ventures. Community Health Strategy anchors the health risk communication for behaviour change, improving health outcomes of individuals and creating demand for healthy living. Sustained investment in strengthening community units across the country will ensure improved quality of life for every Kenyan. 

To prevent diseases and secure the overall well-being of her citizens , Kenya requires a deliberate commitment of building resilience at individual , family and community resilience through prevention of disease and promotion of of overall well-being with a key focus on the most vulnerable including PWDs, older persons and the marginalised. This focus forums our true partnerships with the arms of Government and other Non-state actors in oiling our journey towards achieving UHC. 

Thank you. 

Best regards. 

Kristine.