“Building effective PHC teams for UHC in Africa” Launch

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As a beacon for frontline health workers devoted to Primary Health Care (PHC) service delivery and the realization of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Africa, we are excited to announce the launch of the AfroPHC Policy Framework titled “Building the PHC Team for UHC in Africa.”

Event Details:

Why Attend?

  1. Deep Dive into the AfroPHC Policy Framework: Gain insights into our comprehensive guideline crafted to build a resilient PHC team pivotal for driving UHC in Africa.
  2. Engage in Rich Discussions: Partake in an interactive webinar, group deliberations, and a Q&A session to exchange experiences, perspectives, and best practices.
  3. Drive Recommendations: Be part of a collective voice shaping the future of PHC teams, financing models, and effective PHC policy implementations.
  4. Collaborate: Join stakeholders, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and communities in a unified mission to bolster PHC for UHC in Africa.

Event Structure:

  • Welcome (10 mins): Introduction to the AfroPHC Policy Framework.
  • Keynote (10 mins): Emphasizing the role of a robust PHC workforce for UHC.
  • Thematic Presentations (80 mins): Covering topics like multidisciplinary teams, community health workers, PHC financing models, and  PHC Implementation Country successes and lessons.
  • Q&A Session (20 mins): Address audience queries.
  • Group Discussions (45 mins): Theme-based dialogues to drive actionable insights.
  • Plenary (60 mins): A summary of group findings and a moderated cross-theme exploration.

RSVP: register in advance for the webinar. Post registration, you will receive a confirmation email with further joining details. Please share this within your networks nad with your members.

In a world where patients and health workers often get lost in bureaucracy, our vision stands clear: an empowered, people-centric PHC team aptly equipped for Africa’s unique needs. We count on your invaluable participation to bring this vision closer to reality.

Meet Our Speakers

Dr. Jeff Markuns is a practicing family doctor and faculty member at Boston University, and currently the President for the North America Region of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA). Most recently, Jeff was the Executive Director of the Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI), a partnership between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank Group, UNICEF, the Global Fund and the World Health Organization with Ariadne Labs and Results for Development (R4D) as technical partners, all focused on better primary health care measurement for improvement in low and middle income countries. Jeff has particular expertise in education as the current and founding Director of the Masters program in Health Professions Education at Boston University. Jeff’s earlier clinical work has included both outpatient and inpatient services, including 20 years of labor and delivery, his teaching experience included his work as an Assistant Program Director for BU’s residency in Family Medicine, and his operational experience included leading one of BU’s primary Family Medicine clinical units in an affiliated community health center. As the Executive Director of the Global Health Collaborative in the Department of Family Medicine, Jeff’s deep experience with frontline primary health care and the human resource capacity-building necessary to support its success has led to successful long-term vertically and horizontally-integrated development efforts to promote primary health care system strengthening and workforce development, supporting programs throughout southeast Asia and in Lesotho in southern Africa.

Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi is a family doctor, a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, an Associate Professor, and the Director for Health Equity at Duke University’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, in North Carolina, USA.  She served as Executive Member-at-Large of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) and WONCA liaison to the World Health Organization from 2016-2021, she is a member of the WONCA Rural Council, and has chaired WONCA’s Organizational Equity committee. She has been a member of the AfroPHC Advisory since its inception.  She serves in multiple organizations, boards, taskforces and advisories addressing care for marginalized populations. 

 

Dr. Faraz Khalid is currently a Research and Innovation Officer at Special Program for Primary Health Care at WHO Headquarters, and before this role, he was responsible for coordination for Universal Health Coverage reforms at the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office.

He has taken on multiple roles in the low- and middle-income countries health systems in the last seventeen years. He started his career as a medical doctor, transitioned to a program manager of an award winning innovative mhealth enabled social health protection program in Pakistan, has worked as health systems and financing consultant with World Health Organization, UNICEF, Asian Development Bank, and USAID.

Following his medical training, he completed his PhD in Global Health Policy and Management from Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, USA and did Master’s in public health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dr. Salim Ali Hussein is a Public Health Practitioner in the Ministry of Health,  heading Primary Health Care, in the Ministry of Health, Kenya since July 2019. Passionate in Health System strengthening.

Previously held positions; head of Department of Health Promotion, Division of Community Health and has been a District Medical Officer In Charge of Marsabit District and Makindu Sub District. He holds an MSc Public Health System Management and Application from Kenyatta University and MB ChB from University of Nairobi. I have been trained on Social Innovation and system Change at University of Cape Town, leading high performing healthcare organizations (LeHHO) at Strathmore University, Strategic Leadership Development Programme at Kenya School of Government, in Information, Education & Communication in Health at Okinawa International Centre, Japan, and in Executive Hospital Management at  United State International University, Nairobi.

Dr Kalangwa Kalangwa is a Zambian medical doctor working for the Ministry of Health Headquarters as Assistant Director Health Promotion and Community Health in the department of Public Health and Research. He is also the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health. He has a special interest in solving health challenges using a public health approach. He has over 8 years experience in clinical medicine and public health. He holds a bachelor of science in Human Biology, a bachelor of Science in Medicine and Surgery and a masters degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, all obtained from the University of Zambia. He is currently perusing an MBA in Healthcare Management at UNICAF

The Virtual Workshops

The policy was constructed by over 500 members from over 20 African countries through virtual workshops since 2020. The workshops occurred on every third Tuesday of every month, 1-4 pm Central African Time, and the aim was to help build a shared perspective amongst PHC team members across Africa. All workshops were in the format of a moderated discussion with panellists and then group discussion and feedback. These workshops were accredited for continuing medical education (CME)/continuing professional development (CPD) across many African countries. They also had English/French/Portuguese translators available. 

Final Policy Framework Workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa

In October 2022, AfroPHC was able to host an in-person meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. The purpose of this meeting was to finalise the policy paper, and the call to action for PHC across the African continent. About 35 members of the AfroPHC Executive and Advisory Board convened, together with other key stakeholders and experts, as the first in-person meeting of AfroPHC.

The Executive Summary

As the largest grassroots African institution specifically dedicated to advocating for frontline health workers who are committed to PHC service delivery and universal health coverage (UHC), we call on all stakeholders across Africa to build and empower effective PHC teams to achieve high quality PHC and UHC in Africa.

Our experience of primary health care (PHC) is of patients who are treated as numbers in a queue, with poor comprehensiveness, continuity, and coordination. Health workers are also treated like numbers in a bureaucracy that fragments and undermines training and service for integrated care around patient and population needs.

Our vision for PHC and UHC is a PHC team with skills mix appropriate to Africa, including family doctors, family nurse practitioners, clinical officers, community health workers and others that are empowered to take care of an empaneled population in high-quality people centred PHC.

Africa, please heed to the call of your health professionals.

Currently, the PHC system in Africa faces many new challenges AND opportunities. To date, human resources for health in PHC are grossly insufficient in number, often inefficiently and inequitably distributed, lacking adequate training for delivering fully responsive and comprehensive frontline care, and are treated inequitably within the health system. Projections for the African health workforce suggest this will worsen over the next five years. There has been a lack of solidarity among key role players in healthcare to create adequate PHC funding in Africa. Resources do not appropriately or adequately reach the frontline PHC service platform due to outdated service delivery and payment models. However, there are opportunities that leaders can capitalize on: global PHC milestones, increasing political will for investment in PHC, and proven mechanisms for achieving a stronger workforce such as the professionalization and scaling up of community health workers, clinical role-sharing, and the integration of family doctors, advanced practice nurse practitioners and allied health professionals into PHC.

We call on African leaders and global stakeholders to develop and implement a regional forward-looking plan to:

1)Build robust PHC SYSTEMS.

This must be based on a high quality bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach for PHC that is comprehensive, coordinated and integrated person- family- and community-centred. It must integrate PHC priorities and Health in All Policies. It must be based on empanelling of defined populations to a specific PHC team using community oriented primary care. It must be supported by interoperable e-Health and a strong District Health System to coordinate public and private providers.

2)Educate, recruit and maintain a sufficient frontline PHC WORKFORCE.

This must include a complete workforce of locally trained family doctors, nurses, advanced practitioners, pharmacists, professionalized community health workers and others sufficient to deliver high quality PHC. This workforce must involve role-sharing with supportive supervision; distributed leadership; clinical governance by accountable clinicians; and an integrated human resources development and management plan suitable to PHC.

3)Support PHC with FINANCES.

There must be political and sustained funding action that considers PHC as an investment; a fight for global solidarity action on PHC funding pools; and better management of PHC across Africa with strategic purchasing and payment reforms using blended capitation.

This can all come together easily in a simple nationally-defined PHC contract using risk-adjusted blended capitation payment to decentralised PHC teams empanelled to enrolled populations, coordinated by the district health services to provide services to the full population, and easily administered at national or sub-national level for empowered public and private providers.

As the African Forum for Primary Health Care, we call on Africa to commit to making this plan a reality and building effective PHC teams for UHC in Africa. We commit to mobilising PHC workers across Africa to create PHC teams around empanelled populations as sentinel sites across Africa to share best practice and to show evidence of how effective we can be at both practice and population level if we are empowered to deliver quality PHC as a team.

The AfroPHC Call to Africa: Join AfroPHC and build effective primary health care teams for universal health coverage in Africa

In opening we call on Africa

  • To pay heed to the call of its health professionals for PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To seize opportunities to overcome African challenges for PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To embrace the World Health Report of 2008 and Astana Declaration of 2018 by prioritizing integrated, resilient, person-centred and high quality PHC within UHC, re-organising UHC around PHC service delivery, integrating public health with primary care, and bringing private PHC providers into a regulated PHC system for UHC in Africa.

In terms of PHC Systems we call on Africa

  • To embrace the disciplines of family medicine and generalist PHC, with its bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to care, to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa by 2023 that is personalised, comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated, in line with global standards.
  • To embrace primary care, defined by WHO as an essential level of care, that needs to be responsive, person- family- and community-centred and covers the full spectrum of care within the paradigm of OneHealth for PHC and UHC in Africa by 2023.
  • To integrate priority programmes (communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, mother-woman-child health, violence-trauma, mental health etc.) into PHC in a diagonal manner that both supports these vertical priorities as well as supporting horizontal integration by PHC teams around patient and population for UHC in Africa by 2033.
  • To strengthen rehabilitation and palliation in PHC by 2033 with decentralised and well-funded community rehabilitation and palliation services, where teams with an appropriate mix of skills and professional supervision are linked to multiple community practices for accountable care.
  • To integrate oral health into PHC by 2033 with team-based service delivery models that includes appropriate role- and task-sharing with a range of oral health care practitioners and dentist support and supervision and that are linked to multiple community practices for accountable care.
  • To strengthen access to medicines and investigations with greater embrace of pharmacy professionals and point-of care technology at PHC level to achieve PHC for UHC in Africa by 2033.
  • To strengthen coordination of PHC referrals to hospitals with the placement of postgraduate-trained family doctors in PHC teams by 2033 to achieve UHC in Africa.
  • To prioritise PHC as the foundation for UHC: making “Health in All Policies” an integrating and develop­mental public health approach to decentralised government, and strengthening PHC teams with local linkages to other sectors affecting social determinants of health by 2023 to deliver PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To strengthen the district health service to coordinate decentralised and empowered providers by 2033 and to ensure they deliver on agreed-upon results as they implement PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To embrace the strategy of empanelment of a defined population and linking them to a defined, fully staffed, and equipped PHC team and medical home by 2023 as a foundational step to achieving PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To embrace community-oriented primary care in community practices of 30 000 by 2033 and aspire to community practices of 10 000 for achieving PHC and UHC in Africa by 2043.
  • To embrace the Blueprint for Rural Health and rural proof all health policies by 2023 to support rural and marginalised urban primary health care comprehensively, especially creating stepladder entry requirements for educational institutions and rural/marginalised urban student immersion for the full PHC team, to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To recognise the unique challenges of women in PHC and to explore innovative and sustainable interventions to overcome these for PHC and UHC in Africa
  • To recognise the unique opportunities of youth in PHC and to explore innovative and sustainable interventions to address these for PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To embrace the variety of eHealth solutions for PHC by ensuring that sustainable national e-health strategies are supported by accessible infrastructure, interoperability and user-friendly designs that enable the PHC team and patients/populations to enhance quality and support new models of care in PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To engage communities and ensure social participation in advancing team-based PHC across Africa.
  • To embrace the culture of quality and patient safety with strong teamwork, and to measure and monitor performance to achieve quality PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To develop and support practice and population research sites focussed on PHC across Africa and to expand the range of indicators that will assess the effectiveness of PHC teams empanelled to populations as a key service delivery reform

In terms of PHC Workforce we call on Africa

  • To build a larger, better trained PHC workforce (integrating public and private providers) with more opportunities (educational, financial, and clinical) and greater resources (starting with structurally defining PHC services) to enable PHC and UHC.
  • To acknowledge the burden on all cadres in PHC and to embrace trans professional collaboration with a mix of all health professionals using respectful, collaborative role sharing and supportive supervision for achieving PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To embrace distributed leadership practices, and education for it, among all PHC workers and managers to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To embrace the important role of medical, dental, nursing and other professions with post-graduate training for decentralised primary care settings to support clinical governance, coordinated care and efficient referrals to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To standardise, professionalise and decently remunerate community healthcare workers that are strongly integrated with the PHC team, and furthermore to aspire to a target of one CHW per thousand persons by 2043 to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To clarify and harmonise PHC workforce nomenclature for the different categories and disciplines in PHC, and to then embark on labour market analyses in PHC (including public and private) and specific PHC human resource for health (HRH) policies and strategic plans to scale up the PHC health workforce by 2033 to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa.
  • To implement a robust educational and credentialing systems for developing a competent workforce dedicated to delivering comprehensive PHC services necessary to achieve UHC in Africa.
  • To protect all PHC workers as a precious and vulnerable resource and to empower them to build quality and resilience as a team that works closely with communities to achieve PHC and UHC for Africa.

In terms of PHC Finances we call on Africa

  • To regard health as an investment and to leverage political goodwill for action on PHC/UHC by defining PHC in budget terms, ringfencing the financing of PHC and committing to at least 2% of their GDP on PHC for UHC in Africa.
  • To re-examine global social solidarity on PHC and strengthen contributions to PHC for UHC in Africa as a priority, starting with High-Income Countries increasing ‘donor aid’ to 2% of their health spend and ‘donor aid’ funds allocating 30% to an African Union funding pool for integrated PHC and UHC in Africa by 2033.
  • To work towards better funded single pools for UHC funding, prioritising strategic purchasing for PHC with standard and transparent contracting of both public and private providers in empowered decentralised units of PHC for UHC in Africa by 2043.
  • To embrace PHC teams paid by blended capitation models (including capitation, fee-for-service and performance payments) to achieve holistic and responsive PHC and UHC in Africa by 2043.
  • To embark on simple nationally-defined PHC contracting to community practices for accountable care from both public and private service providers.

In closing,

We call on Africa to empower and build an effective PHC team to achieve PHC and UHC in Africa. We, as the African Forum for Primary Health Care (AfroPHC), commit to educating and empowering providers and their communities at the frontline to support this goal in any way we can, including

building AfroPHC Chapters at country level as a forum

for PHC and UHC in Africa.

The History of Primary Health Care

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Introduction to the history of primary healthcare.

The history of primary healthcare.
From the small efforts of various groups to promote accessible and affordable health to all, the first significant step in the history of primary healthcare was the World Health Organization (WHO)’s “Health for all by the year 2000” initiative of 1977 which promoted UHC.
Although it was deemed impossible, atleast it led to the Alma Ata declaration in 1978 where various leaders established primary healthcare as the most practical and effective was of achieving the goal “Health for all by year 2000”.
30 years down the line, in 2008, the World Health Organisation launched the “Primary healthcare: now more than ever” report which highlighted several reforms necessary to make primary healthcare effective.
Then in 2018 was the Astana Declaration which traced the progress of primary healthcare since the Alma Ata declaration and established ways of strengthening primary healthcare to achieve universal health coverage.
At the present time, as we also create and contribute to the history of primary healthcare, in 2023 AfroPHC will be launching the “Policy Framework for primary healthcare in Africa” which outline the goals to be met by Africa to achieve effective PHC for UHC in Africa.

Health for all by the year 2000

“Health for all by the year 2000” was a global health initiative launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1977.
The initiative had three main objectives:
1. To achieve a level of health that would permit all individuals to lead a socially and economically productive life.
2. To reduce the gap in health status between developed and developing countries.
3. To provide essential health care to all individuals and families in the community.

Unfortunately, the goal of “Health for all by the year 2000” was not achieved but it did help in raising awareness of the need for accessible and affordable health for all, and this led to the establishment of primary healthcare in the 1978’s Alma Ata declaration.

The Alma Ata Declaration of 1978

The Alma-Ata Declaration is a health policy document that was adopted at the International Conference on Primary Health Care held in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan in 1978.
The Declaration has had a profound impact on global health policy and practice. It has been a driving force behind the development of primary healthcare as a central component of health systems around the world.
It defined primary healthcare as “essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound, and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination.”
And it also emphasized the importance of community participation, health promotion, and disease prevention in addition to curative services. It recognized the need for a comprehensive approach to healthcare that addressed not just physical health, but also mental, social, and spiritual well-being.

WHO’S “Primary Health Care: Now More Than Ever” Report of 2008

The report “Primary Health Care: Now More Than Ever” was published in 2008 by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report emphasized the importance of primary health care as the foundation of any effective health system and called for a renewed global commitment to primary health care as a means of achieving better health for all.
It highlighted four key reforms necessary to strengthen primary healthcare:
1. Strengthening health systems: The report called for a comprehensive approach to strengthening health systems, including investments in health infrastructure, health workforce education and training, and health information systems.
2. Improving access to primary health care: The report emphasized the need to improve access to primary health care services, particularly for underserved populations, through strategies such as expanding health coverage and reducing financial barriers to care.
3. Enhancing the quality of primary health care: The report called for efforts to improve the quality of primary health care services through initiatives such as strengthening health workforce capacity, promoting evidence-based practice, and implementing quality assurance systems.
4. Fostering community participation and empowerment: The report highlighted the importance of engaging communities in primary health care planning and decision-making to promote health equity and social justice.
Overall, the report called for a coordinated and sustained effort to strengthen primary health care systems worldwide, with a focus on addressing the health needs of the most vulnerable populations.

The Astana Declaration of 2018

The Astana Declaration is a global commitment to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) through primary health care (PHC). The declaration was adopted at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2018, which marked the 40th anniversary of the historic Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978.
The Astana Declaration reaffirms the principles of the Alma-Ata Declaration, which recognized primary health care as the key to achieving health for all. The Astana Declaration goes further by emphasizing the need for a renewed commitment to primary health care as the foundation of health systems, and as a means of achieving universal health coverage.
The Astana Declaration calls for a series of actions to strengthen primary health care systems, including:
1. Investing in primary health care as the cornerstone of health systems
2. Strengthening health systems through increased funding and resources
3. Ensuring access to essential health services for all, including through community-based approaches
4. Empowering individuals and communities to participate in their own health and health care
5. Strengthening health workforce education and training to ensure a skilled and motivated health workforce
6. Strengthening health information systems to improve decision-making and accountability
7. Strengthening partnerships and cooperation between different sectors and actors to achieve shared health goals.

AfroPHC’s Policy Framework for PHC and UHC in Africa

This week we have been looking at the history of primary healthcare.
At the present time, as we also create and contribute to the history of primary healthcare, in 2023 AfroPHC will be launching the “Building PHC Teams for UHC in Africa” which underscores the crucial role of the PHC workforce within a team based approach. It also outlines the key actions that need to be met by Africa to achieve effective PHC for UHC in Africa.
This policy framework was funded by Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) and echoes the voices of frontline primary healthcare workers and leaders across, Africa, collated through a series of virtual policy workshops and group discussions. The final workshop was held in October 2022 in Johannesburg, South Africa where a cohort of about 30 multicountry multiprofessional delegates met in person to finalise the policy framework.
In summary, the policy calls to Africa to pay heed to the call of its health professionals, to seize opportunities to overcome African challenges, to embrace the World Health Organisation’s Report of 2008 and Astana Declaration of 2018 by prioritizing integrated, resilient, person-centred and high quality PHC within UHC, re-organising UHC around PHC service delivery, integrating public health with primary care, and bringing private PHC providers into a regulated PHC system for UHC in Africa.

Video Competition

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AfroPHC has been developing a primary healthcare policy framework that is being launched on the 14th of March 2023. The framework consists of 31 main points/goals plus an opening and closing. Now, we are hosting a competition to create videos for each of the 33 points.

This competition is for healthcare students and professionals in Africa. Participation will be in groups and to participate, the group leader has to register below and download the video scripts document. This document has 33 scenes, one for each of the 33 points in the policy framework. In the scripts document, the policy framework points are in given in peach background. And this document can be downloaded here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tcbBgmYaFECY3v3UPXveiBGssCnKue39/view?usp=drivesdk

The participants are to shoot 5 videos for any 5 scenes directed in the scripts document. Each video should be atleast 15 seconds and atmost 30 seconds long (15-30 seconds long). The participants are to shoot the videos as directed in the scripts. They are free to make slight changes, the number of the main cast in the introduction and closing scenes can be reduced to 5. If participants feel like they can do one or more of the scenes in a better way than the one directed, they should email their suggested script(s) to [email protected] for approval first before shooting. Such scripts will not be shared with other participants.

The participants are expected to collaborate with their healthcare centers for the video shooting and the equipment required. The scripts documents lists the extra requirements that might not be available in a healthcare center. Anyone can play any role given in the scripts document. However, identity clothing is required for each specified role. For example, a student nurse can act as a doctor in the play provided he dresses as a doctor in that play. The videos are to be simple and there’s no need for professional equipment or editing.

Technical requirements include:

  • Minimum resolution of the video of at least 720p.
  • The videos should have an aspect ratio of horizontal 4:3.
  • A maximum file size of 300MB, while utilizing commonly used video-codecs (e.g. H.264) and formats (.mov or .mp4).
  • Audio with a minimum bitrate of 128kbps.
  • Do not add text or watermarks or logos on the videos.
  • Only the calls should be cited in the videos. The words spoken in the videos should only be the calls recited.
  • The videos should not be significantly inclined torwards one gender.
  • Name the video files according to the scene titles given.

After shooting the 5 videos, the participants must put them in a Google drive folder and email the link to [email protected]. Make sure this email has been granted access to the folder. These 5 videos should be submitted before the deadline, 12 February 2023, 2359hrs GMT+2. We will then shortlist two teams, and these two teams would have to shoot the videos for the remaining 28 scenes (to make a total of 33 videos, one video for each of the scenes given). They are to submit these videos as described above before the deadline, 28 February 2023, 2359hrs GMT+2.

The winners will be announced within a week, on this page and on our social accounts. There will be 2 winners. The 1st place will be awarded $500US. The second place will be awarded $250US. The ranking will be done by a set of judges and it will be based on creativity, quality and excellence. The winning participants will be required to grant AfroPHC the copyrights and ownership of their video content before being awarded the cash prizes.

For questions and updates, kindly join our Competition Whatsapp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FB9mee2zrWxF5D2OgjGupF. We will be happy to provide any information necessary.

Best of luck!

Register now

AfroPHC Seminars 24-25 Oct, Jhb, South Africa

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The African Forum for Primary Health Care (AfroPHC) will be convening a Final Consultation Workshop on 25th and 26th October 2022 in Johannesburg to conclude the extensive consultation process for the AfroPHC Policy Framework being developed. About 35 members of the AfroPHC Executive and Advisory Board are expected to participate, together with other key stakeholders and experts, as the first in-person meeting of AfroPHC.

In order to enhance the workshop there will be two public seminars/webinars 8-10pm South African time on 24th and 25th of October at the auditorium of Wits School of Public Health.

24th October

  • Prof. Kara Hanson: Overview of Lancet Global Health Commission Report on PHC Financing
  • Dr. Oludare Bodunrin: Overview of African Strategic Purchasing for PHC in Africa

25th October

  • Prof Shabir Moosa: Overview of National Health Insurance and PHC efforts in South Africa, including Proof of Concept in Johannesburg

These will also be broadcast on Zoom. Check your local time here. Register in advance: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fwMYXUdOR8y3c1YaAtKkqg. There will be French translation available.

Prof Kara Hanson

She has spent the last 30 years researching the economics of health systems in low- and middle-income countries.  Her major contributions are in the areas of health financing and the private health sector.  She chaired the recent Lancet Global Health Commission on Financing Primary Health Care, and have authored key publications on how strategic purchasing can help to improve health system performance.  Her work on the private sector has contributed to understanding of the opportunities and limitations of using the private sector to extend access to critical public health interventions and, more recently, to the challenges of regulating healthcare markets.  She frequently advise national governments and international organisations on health system and financing issues.  She is President-Elect of the International Health Economics Association.

 

Dr. Oludare (‘Dare) Bodunrin

Over the last decade, Oludare Bodunrin has been working on strategic initiatives to deliver quality health care to underserved populations in Nigeria. Fondly called ‘Dare, he currently serves as the Acting Director and Technical lead at the SPARC, a strategic purchasing initiative hosted by Amref Health Africa to broker support to countries as they design and implement reforms geared towards efficient and equitable use of financial resources for health. Before joining SPARC, he served as a senior program officer at the Results for Development (R4D) in Nigeria during which he led the design and implementation of Social Health Insurance Schemes, facilitated joint learning about sub-national healthcare policy makers and managed key program functions as country representative of R4D Nigeria. ‘Dare’s professional interest and experience includes, health insurance design and implementation, supply chain for healthcare commodities, primary healthcare systems strengthening, private sector engagement and Not-for-Profit Management. He strongly advocates for self-sufficiency, mutually beneficial partnership and home-grown evidence-based solutions for sustainable development in Africa

Prof Shabir Moosa

Prof Shabir Moosa is a family physician with an MBA and PhD. He works in public service clinics of Soweto and at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He has extensive experience in rural general practice and the development of family medicine and primary care services in both rural and urban district health services in South Africa and Africa. Shabir is involved in development and research around family medicine, community-oriented primary health care (COPC) and health management for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Africa. He is Member at Large in the Executive Committee of WONCA (World Organisation of Family Doctors), and Executive Coordinator of AfroPHC, the African Forum for Primary Health Care (PHC), bringing African PHC team leaders together to advocate for PHC and UHC

Get Your Copy of the AfroPHC Policy Document!

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Africa, a continent of unparalleled diversity and dynamism, stands at a critical juncture in its health care journey. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) remains an aspiration for many African nations, and achieving it requires an approach that is both strategic and contextually appropriate. The AfroPHC Policy Framework emerges as a beacon in this endeavor, illuminating the path towards a health care system that is not only universally accessible but also tailor-made for the unique needs and challenges of the African context.

Originally drafted by Prof. Shabir Moosa, this groundbreaking document is a culmination of insightful discussions, views, and conclusions from the AfroPHC policy workshops held in 2021. This framework is not just a document; it’s a call to action for Africa to be deliberate about UHC by fostering Primary Health Care (PHC) teams that are not only fit for purpose but also intricately tailored for the multifaceted African context. The AfroPHC Policy Framework underscores the importance of robust, community-oriented, and adaptable primary health care systems as the backbone of UHC in Africa.

Prof. Moosa, in collaboration with various stakeholders, infused the framework with rich discussions, views, and conclusions from the policy workshops. These sessions saw vibrant interactions, insightful debates, and the collective wisdom of health professionals, policy-makers, academics, and community representatives, all harmonized into a coherent policy guide.The central tenet of the AfroPHC Policy Framework is simple yet profoundly transformative: to be intentional about UHC by building and adequately supporting Primary Health Care (PHC) teams that are fit for purpose and resonate with the African milieu.

Why is this Framework Crucial?
The essence of Universal Health Coverage lies in its inclusivity. Every individual, regardless of their socio-economic background or geographic location, should have access to quality health care without facing financial hardship. However, the generic blueprint for UHC may not effectively address the distinct challenges faced by the African populace. This is where the AfroPHC Policy Framework steps in, emphasizing the need for:

PHC Teams that Understand the Ground Reality: The continent’s health care nuances, from endemic diseases to infrastructural limitations, require teams that are trained, equipped, and motivated to work in the African context. Evidence shows that team based care results in better health outcomes and is more efficient and effective.

Cultural Sensitivity: Africa’s rich tapestry of cultures demands health care approaches that respect and integrate traditional beliefs and practices.

Local Ownership and Empowerment: Rather than imposing external models, there’s a pressing need to empower local communities to have a stake in shaping their health care systems.

Join the Conversation in Sydney, Australia- WONCA World Conference 2023:
The AfroPHC Policy Framework is not just a document; it’s a movement. We invite all stakeholders, from health care professionals to policymakers, to delve into this framework and contribute to the discourse. Your insights, experiences, and expertise are invaluable in refining and implementing this vision.

A workshop will be held in Sydney, providing a platform for robust discussions, exchange of ideas, and collaborative strategizing. Be part of this transformative journey and play a role in reshaping Africa’s health care future.

Let’s be intentional. Let’s be African-centered. Let’s pave the way for a UHC that truly serves the heart of Africa.

For more details on the Sydney workshop click here.

Building-Effective-Teams-for-UHC-in-Africa-AfroPHCDownload

AfroPHC AGM 2023

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The Annual General Meeting of AfroPHC will be run for 3 hours 12pm to 3pm GMT/2pm-5pm CAT/3pm-6pm EAT Wednesday 11th October, 2022.

Agenda

  1. Welcome Remarks
  2. Adoption of minutes of previous AGM
  3. Minutes of Executive Board and Advisory Board Meetings – for noting
  4. Executive Board Report (including draft Strategic and Operational Plan) – for adoption
  5. Amendments to the Articles of Association (AA) – for adoption
  6. Launch of Policy Framework

CPD Webinar: Hepatitis B- Transmission, Treatment, Lifestyle Modifications and Prevention (27 July)

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New-onset hepatitis B infection that may or may not be icteric or symptomatic. Diagnosis is based on the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and IgM antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). Recovery is accompanied by the clearance of HBsAg with seroconversion to anti-HBs (antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen), usually within 3 – 6 months.

Webinar title: Hepatitis B (Transmission, Treatment, Lifestyle Modifications and Prevention)

Speaker: Tumaine Bayasabe – Registered Nurse (RN)

I am a Tanzanian, a 31 years old male, who graduated from Kolandoto College of health science with a Diploma in Nursing and Midwife in 2017. I have the honor and passion to submit my Biography, as explained above. I am certainly sure that, with the knowledge I have obtained through Education and Several Experiences from my work Practices in different hospitals and other Training. Now am working at Temeke RRH, and also worked at MIRAKOLO HOSPITAL found at Dar es Salaam as NURSE IN-CHRGE (PATRON) From 31st, May 2019 till September 2022. I am very good at GASTROENTEROLOGY CARE especially Endoscopy Unit care, ECG tests, midwifery cases, Reproductive Child Health (RCH) services, PMTCT HIV and TB, counseling sessions medical /surgical Emergency Care, care to patients, families, and community as a whole, something which has helped me to work as a part of any specific team. I have been awarded different Academics and Leaderships Certificates. Also, I am well-trained in managing patients with, COVID-19, Ebola, and Hepatitis B (Prevention, treatment, and lifestyle habits), Neurosurgery, and Neuro-Oncology.

Objectives:

To raise awareness on how to prevent HBV.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease.
Increase uptake and completion of hepatitis B vaccination among communities living with high Risk of getting Hepatitis B.
The virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and delivery, as well as through contact with blood or other body
fluids during sex with an infected partner, unsafe injections, or exposures to sharp instruments.


Date: Thursday, 27th of July 2023

Time: 3 pm Central Africa Time (CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

REGISTER HERE: https://wcea.education/portfolio-item/hepatitis-b/

Webinar: Countries PHC System Experience: Lessons from Uganda, Kenya & Ethiopia [5 July 2023]

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Join us as AfroPHC EC and President share country experiences in PHC, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in a webinar on ‘Countries PHC System Experience: Lessons from Uganda, Kenya & Ethiopia’ as part of our series on Primary Health Care: Strengthening PHC Systems in LMICs. This session will feature speakers from Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eBK9ie4m

Webinar: Introduction to Research in PHC [4 July 2023]

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Dear all,
I wish to invite you to the AfroPHC Research Mentorship Programme meeting coming up on Tuesday 4th July, 2023 at [4-6pm GMT, 5-7pm WAT, 6-8pm CAT/SAST and 7-9pm EAT.]
Lecture Title: Introduction to Research in PHC; Developing a Good Research Question.
Lecture Speaker: Dr Mercy Wanjala

Link will be sent to members via email. If you are not a member, join at http://www.afrophc.org/join-afrophc

No Tobacco: Addiction and Advocacy | CPD 18 May

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Tobacco kills up to half of its users. a plant with leaves that have high levels of the addictive chemical nicotine. After harvesting, tobacco leaves are cured, aged, and processed. In various ways. the resulting products may be smoked (in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes), applied to the gums (as dipping and chewing tobacco), or inhaled (as snuff).

Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Keep the key to life in your hands, don’t give it to tobacco. Continued tobacco use corresponds to poorer addiction treatment outcomes, including a higher likelihood of relapse to substance use. The integration of tobacco-related services into addiction treatment can improve treatment outcomes, promote recovery, and reduce the well-established harms of ongoing tobacco use, including tobacco-related death and disease. Eliminate tobacco from your life before it kills you.

Webinar Title: No Tobacco: Addiction and Advocacy

Speaker: Miss Abena Otchere-Darko (BSC’ MGHIG’ CPMC’ MWAIMM’ PD. CIIA’ PD.CSM)

“I have taken inspiration from nature and feel one can achieve anything if one pursues it with diligence and perseverance and I have set my heart on attaining to do. This will equip me well in the art of assessing and cultivating human relationships, which is a necessity in any type of workplace and a discerning community as a whole, and having an opportunity to be part of this organization will be a value-added to my educational interests, involvement in a sorority and volunteer activities demonstrate attributes that make me a valuable employee in career practices. included in my list of talents leadership skills, reliability and work ethics in all roles and volunteer activities. Community involvement in volunteer programs such as community challenge and professional development programs in applied sciences and other resourced-based areas in education and early career practice, health, population surveys and census.”

OBJECTIVES:

  • Identify personal and socio-cultural beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviours regarding tobacco and other drug use, as well as strategies for prevention through a visual display project on a specific drug-related topic or theme.
  • Identify and access community resources that deal with drug education (prevention, use, misuse, abuse, and public education) and incorporate this information into a visual display project.
  • Build teamwork skills that encourage collaborative work on a drug-related visual display, oral presentation, and written report.

Date: Thursday, 18th of May 2023

Time: 3 pm Central Africa Time (CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

Register here: https://wcea.education/portfolio-item/no-tobacco-addiction-and-advocacy/

CPD: Stress and Wellness

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This is a presentation on what stress is, and how it affects the body. It is also supposed to be an interactive and reflective session with the participants.

Webinar Title: Stress and Wellness

Objectives:

Understand stand stress
How to note stress
How to self-manage a stressful situation
When to seek care
Speaker: Miss Yvonne Kiogora

“My name is Yvonne Nkatha Kiogora. A practising Clinical Officer in Nairobi- Kenya. I have over 10 years in clinical practice. I have an expansive experience in both the public and private health sectors in different capacities. I am also trained in public health. Currently winding up my specialization in Mental health and Psychiatry. I am also pursuing a master’s in public health. I have a great love for mental health and wellbeing. I have been involved in community awareness of mental health through online media and also physically.”

Date: Thursday, 6th of April 2023

Time: 3 pm Central Africa Time (CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

Register Now

AFROPHC CASE STUDIES WINNER ANNOUNCED: Dr Tijani Oseni

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WINNER: Dr Tijani Oseni (Nigeria)

TITLE: BUILDING EFFECTIVE MULTIDISCIPLINARY PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TEAMS FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE IN AFRICA – A CASE OF ISTH FAMILY MEDICINE OUTPOST, IGUEBEN, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

In Nigeria, like most African countries, the Primary Health Care (PHC) centres are unable to address the health needs of rural dwellers as they lack adequate staff and equipment.
We were able to bring accessible and affordable health care services to the people of Igueben in Edo State, Nigeria using a multidisciplinary team headed by Family Physicians from the department of Family Medicine, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria. This followed request from the community. The team comprised Family Physicians, nurses, administrators, and community leaders.
We established an outpost where most common medical and surgical conditions were managed at minimal rates. More serious cases that could not be handled at the outpost were referred to ISTH. This ensured access to quality healthcare for the people within their reach and means.
Collaborating with other health workers as well as community leaders is essential for achieving universal health coverage.

ABOUT THE WINNER

Dr Tijani Oseni is a lecturer and Consultant Family Physician/ Head, Lifestyle and Behavioural medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma/ Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria. He is a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (FMCFM) and currently doing a PhD programme in Social and behavioural Medicine in the University of Calabar, Nigeria. His research interests are Family Medicine Education, Lifestyle and Behavioural Medicine, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Primary Health Care.
He is the Assistant Head, AfroPHC Research Team; a member of the WONCA Working Party on Research; Head Afriwon Research Group; and Research Secretary, Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg).
He teaches Family Medicine and mentors undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. He is passionate about rural Family Practice where he seeks to use effective low cost behavioural and lifestyle approach to bring about improved health care to the rural populace.

Neurologic and neurodevelopmental manifestations of paediatric HIV infection

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Many children in Africa fail to reach their full developmental potential. HIV infection and HIV exposure pose additional risks for young children which can manifest as neurological abnormalities and neurodevelopmental delay. The lecture explores risks and protective factors and the benefits of holistic care.

Webinar Title: Neurologic and neurodevelopmental manifestations of paediatric HIV infection

Objectives:

To describe the scope of the problem and how HIV impacts the development
HIV, ART and their effects on neurodevelopment
Neurodevelopment of HIV-exposed uninfected children
Speaker: Dr Renate Strehlau

Dr Strehlau began her career in clinical research investigating the prevention of HIV transmission from mother to infant, as well as optimal and novel drug treatment options for children and adolescents living with HIV. She holds a Masters degree and PhD in the field of early childhood development and maximizing the developmental potential of children affected by and infected with HIV. Dr Strehlau currently heads the VIDA Nkanyezi Unit in Johannesburg, South Africa which investigates infectious diseases in pregnant women and children. She is an active clinician and maintains a busy teaching portfolio.

Date: Thursday, 23rd of March 2023

Time: 4 pm Central Africa Time (CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

Register

Diabète Sucré | CPD Meeting 17 Nov

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Prise en charge du diabète sucré (les formes les plus rencontrées) de la définition, physiopathologie jusqu’au traitement. Le webinaire se déroulera en français.

Webinar Title: Diabète Sucré

Objectives:

Retenir les symptômes du diabète sucrée
Connaitre les complications
Savoir prendre en charge avant de référer au spécialiste


Speaker: Dr Takam Mafoche Ruth Daniele

Formation de médecin généraliste obtenu à l’Université des Montagnes au Cameroun en 2012, diplôme de spécialité obtenu à l’université Félix Houphouët Boigny en Côte d’Ivoire en 2021, diplôme universitaire sur le pied diabétique obtenu à l’université Sorbonne en France en 2022.

Facilitator: Jamie Colloty

Date: Thursday, 17th of November 2022

Time: 15:00 Central Africa Time (GMT+2 / CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

Register here: https://wcea.education/portfolio-item/diabete-sucree/

Chiawelo Community Practice

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Chiawelo Community Practice is an experiment in developing community-oriented primary care (COPC) more strongly in South Africa, as a model for GP-led teams contracted to the National Health Insurance (NHI). It is part of the Chiawelo Community Health Centre in Soweto, a facility owned by the public health service in South Africa. It also functions as part of the Wits University teaching and research platform. It is led by a family physician (Prof. Shabir Moosa). The team includes a family physician, an occasionally rotating 1st-year family medicine registrar, one clinical associate, three medical interns rotating weekly, one professional nurse, three enrolled nurses (team leaders), and 30-42 CHWs. They are caring for 30 000+ residents from the community of Ward 11, 12, 15, 16, & 19 in strong teamwork. Local stakeholders are engaged strongly, supporting a growing targeted health promotion programme. This has resulted in low utilisation rates (less than one visit per person per year), easy access aligned to need, high satisfaction and high clinical quality. This has been despite the challenge of a reductionist PHC system, poor management support and poor public service culture. The results could be more impressive if panels were limited to 10 000, if there was a better team structure with a single doctor leading a team of 3–4 nurse/clinical associates and 10–12 CHWs and PHC provider units that are truly empowered to manage resources locally.

Les infections néonatales bactériennes | CPD Meeting 10 Nov

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Véritable problème de santé publique dans les pays en voie de développement. Prise en charge non homologuée, et prévention moins couteuse que le traitement.

Webinar Title: Les infections néonatales bactériennes

Objectives:
Définir infections néonatales
Démarche diagnostique d’une infection néonatale bactérienne
Prendre en charge et prévenir les infections néonatales bactériennes
Speaker: Marguerite Edongue Hika

Passionnée par la médecine de l’enfant, compte se spécialiser en endocrinologie et médecine de l’adolescent.

Facilitator: Elie Badjo

Date: Thursday, 10th of November 2022

Time: 15:00 Central Africa Time (GMT+2 / CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

Register here: https://wcea.education/portfolio-item/les-infections-neonatales-bacteriennes/

Making access to surgical care a reality in district hospitals – experts put the idea under the knife

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By September 2022, public hospitals in the country were buckling under backlogs of more than 175,000 surgeries. Earlier in the year Spotlight published a two-part series on the human cost of surgical delays and asked what could be done about it.

One solution proposed by some surgical experts is to devolve less-complicated surgical procedures to district hospitals closer to patients. The AfroSurg3 Conference held at the end of September, however, shed some light on the often suboptimal conditions for surgical care at district hospitals, especially in rural areas, and showed that it will take time, effort and resources to make such an approach work……more

Antiretroviral Treatment Failure | CPD Webinar November 3

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Join our next webinar, hosted & sponsored by the African Forum for Primary Health Care & WONCA Africa. The presentation is about the approach to ATF – Antiretroviral Treatment Failure. The webinar will be held in English.

Webinar Title: “Antiretroviral Treatment Failure”

Objectives:
1. Assessing Adherence
2. Facilitating Adherence
3. 2nd and 3rd Line Regimens
4. Resistance Testing

Speaker: Dr Melanie Collins – General practitioner at Good Life Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. Focused predominantly on HIV prevention, diagnosis, and management, as well as Mental Health.

Moderator: Prof Shabir Moosa

Date: Thursday, 3rd of November 2022 [Add to Calendar]

Time: 15:00 Central Africa Time (GMT+2 / CAT)

Duration: 1 hour

CPD Points: 1

Register here: https://wcea.education/portfolio-item/antiretroviral-treatment-failure/

Webinar October 27 | Capacity development and team building strategies for organizational growth: a practice-based approach in the context of PHC

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Join our next webinar, hosted & sponsored by the African Forum for Primary Health Care & WONCA Africa.

Webinar Title: “Capacity development and team building strategies for organizational growth: a practice-based approach in the context of primary health care”

The Webinar will be held in English.

Please share the event with your Organization’s Members & reserve your spot in the WCEA App.

Webinar October 20 | Hypertension artérielle: Diagnostique et prise en charge

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Join our next webinar, hosted & sponsored by the African Forum for Primary Health Care & WONCA Africa.

Webinar Title: Hypertension artérielle: Diagnostique et prise en charge

The Webinar will be held in French.

Please share the event with your Organization’s Members & reserve your spot in the WCEA App.