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Project News

2013-10-06

Exchange Visit to Ghana

A team of community strategy technocrats from Kenya visited Ghana from the 29th of September to 6th of October 2013 through the support of the CHS Project. Their mission was to learn the best practices and challenges encountered within the confines of the community health program in Ghana. The team was able to visit a JICA project[1] site in the Upper West Region.

The Government of Ghana had adopted Community Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) as a strategy to address the inequality in access to health services by strengthening community health services. Under the strategy, a structure called "CHPS Compound" is constructed within the community where Community Health Officers reside and work together with the community leaders, volunteers and community members. It is reported to be effective in improving community health in Ghana.

During the visit, the team exchanged their views and experiences with the various people, namely: the Ghana Health Services, a Regional and District government, the community in Upper West Region, people in Academia, the Embassy of Japan and the JICA Ghana office. In Olli community, many people gathered to welcome the Kenyan team and demonstrated how they implement the CHPS activities through a role play.

The team found out that the key to success includes the evidence based policy development through the utilization of research and establishment of various mechanisms particularly on health financing based on their own experience. Notably, the most important philosophy enshrined in the strategy is commitment and constant efforts of the concerned parties with the belief that their problems should be solved by themselves, not by others. Prof. Miriam Were, who is the Kenya Goodwill Ambassador for Community Health and the winner of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, sent a message during the discussions that "If there is no success in the community, there will be no success anywhere, if it is not happening in the community, nothing will happen in the nation. African problems should be addressed for solutions from and within Africa rather than working as if we live where other people live." The visiting team concluded that the learning was fruitful and useful for Kenya and there should be continuous exchange of information and experience between the two countries for further improvement.

PhotoCHPS Compound

PhotoKenya mission members


Note

  • [1] Improvement of Maternal and Neonatal Health Services Utilizing CHPS system in the Upper West Region (2011-2016)

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