The AMREF case study reports on the organization's community-based initiatives. Involving communities in their health is an effective way of improving the communities’ health with sustainable positive outcomes. The success of the initiatives of the health NGOs like AMREF depends on the strategic planning and execution of their mandate. Social development is the prominent broad strategic thinking that is evident in its approach since the organization strategies shape factors the influence social development. Second is a focus on public health policy since the organization's ideas shape policy and health practices across Africa. There is also the development of systems for health and social policy as well as related programs. AMREFS initiatives consistently give birth to health system models for the continent. The AMREF case demonstrates all the three elements of broad strategic thinking.
There are several aspects of social developed addressed by the case. There is the creation of vibrant networks of communities. It further creates stable health systems in the networked communities and empowers health works in the systems. Within the systems, AMREF operations target disease burden in the grassroots and find ways of improving lives in the communities through shaping social and developmental issues such as culture, the environment, micro-financing, economics, leadership, politics and other factors (Involving communities in their health, nd.). AMREF having an idea of the economic status of the Maasai provides the community with an affordable solution to their challenges. By changing a few social practices, they effectively dealt with their health problems.
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As noted earlier, public health policy is the second broad strategic thinking evident in the case. There are various AMREF initiatives the influence public policies as well as work alongside government public health policies. For instance, AMREF works as a health system development agency in many countries (Involving communities in their health, nd.). This way it shapes public policy or works within the existing public policy because policies are influential to long-term and sustainable development of health systems. Second, there is evidence of public policy through primary healthcare. Primary healthcare can only be promoted substantive primary health care policy which is public policy. The strongest evidence of public policy influence by AMREF is seen in the adoption ideas from AMREF operations research into government’s health policies and practices in Africa.
Finally, there is also evidence of systems development for health or social policy and programming. In fact, systems development seems to be the ultimate objective of AMREF since by shaping social development and public policy, AMREF subsequently encourages the development of new social and health systems. As the organization's mission states, AMREF seeks to create informed and networked communities for health purposes, which means that AMREF aims to create a system that networks all stakeholders and facilitates dissemination of health information to all stakeholders. The mission supports this observation by indicating that the organization desires to create strong health systems with empowered health workers. True to its mission, AMREF is acknowledged as "a health systems development agency for many countries" (Involving communities in their health, nd.). AMREFs initiatives heavily draw from operational research, and as a result, they effectively become effective health systems model for Africa. AMREF demonstrated its ability to create systems by developing an effective system for the Maasai that helped reduce ill-health prevalence.
The case study is very informative, and some information stood out prominently especially the use of evidence-based initiatives to solve community challenges. The evidenced-based strategies, however, work alongside public policy, social development and health systems within the community. From the case study, it is evident to improve a community health it is important first to examine the community for the determinants of health. For instance, for the Maasai AMREF identified the determinant of their health. It established that the environment (little water, flies, trachoma parasites), culture (women share living space with children and animals) and hygiene (cooking in dirty conditions) were responsible for most of their health challenges. With these determinants in mind, AMREF found a suitable evidence-based program WHO's SAFE which effectively reduced the Maasai health problems.
In a nutshell, strategic thinking is essential in developing community bases health solutions. Such solutions must be sustainable and thus the need to work within the social development framework, public health policy and develop appropriate healthcare systems. Base on the strategic thinking it possible to develop affordable healthcare solution for any community.
Reference
Involving communities in their health – Selected Case studies. (n.d.).
