Africa: Could this be a turning point for African health systems?

09/30/2020 Health



[ad_1]

Five ways to put people at the center of health systems and rebuild better

With nearly 1.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 32,000 deaths recorded in Africa as of mid-September, the pandemic has put significant pressure on already overstretched healthcare systems across the region, further affecting the provision of health care. other essential health services, such as immunization. and those of sexual and reproductive health. These critical services are vital to protecting the most vulnerable and marginalized populations, but they are some of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

Since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed on the continent in February 2020, Africa’s response, led by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has been commendable. Governments acted quickly to institute public health measures to curb its spread.

However, more is needed to ensure that Africa seizes the urgency of the moment to shape more resilient and equitable systems equipped to withstand future threats and protect populations, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Africa’s joint and concerted response has brought together frontline health workers, policy makers, health system leaders and civil society from across the continent to share experiences, perspectives and best practices. Among the questions is how does Africa take advantage of this opportunity to reinvent the health system and build better? Here are five possible quick wins:

Communities must own and co-create solutions

While all stakeholders should be involved in policy development and implementation, community involvement remains critical to defining needs and deploying people-centered approaches to co-create solutions.

By engaging communities and front-line health workers as key stakeholders from the outset, Africa’s health systems are more likely to deliver quality and sustainable primary health care services.

Strengthen the quality and use of inclusive data to inform decisions.

Health systems must improve the quality and use of inclusive data to drive policy decisions, investments and improvements in service delivery, while minimizing inequalities in access to services by gender and other vulnerabilities.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for robust health information systems that collect and use quality, timely and reliable data, disaggregated by gender and other diversities, that identify gaps and give visibility to the plight of the vulnerable populations to inform response policies.

Invest more, invest smarter

African governments must invest more and invest smarter to build more equitable and resilient health systems. In addition, governments must remove financial barriers to access health services. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that all sectors depend on the health system. This is an opportunity for the continent to prioritize public financing for health and invest in innovations that accelerate equity in health.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that all sectors depend on the health system. This is an opportunity for the continent to prioritize public financing for health and invest in innovations that accelerate equity in health.

Build strong primary health care systems and establish human resources for health.

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of front-line and primary health care providers in managing pandemic preparedness and response. The experiences of frontline health workers show that the shortage of health personnel, inadequate provision of personal protective equipment, and over-reliance on voluntary services from community health workers have hampered addressing the indirect impacts of the pandemic in the provision of essential health services.

Strengthen supply chains and harmonize regulatory systems.

While we strive to develop and scale health innovations, it is imperative that barriers to timely and equitable access to basic health commodities are removed.

Africa needs to ensure further harmonization of regulatory systems in all countries to speed up regulatory approvals and accelerate the availability of quality healthcare products, including vaccines, diagnostics, drugs and digital solutions. Equitable access to healthcare solutions must be integrated into forecasting, procurement and supply chain systems, and innovative delivery models must be implemented to reach people in need.