Health
Objective: Increasing access of women and children to quality basic health services
Program Description
Background
Afghanistan has one of the highest mortality rates in the world: one in five children dies before the age of five and life expectancy is only 47 years for men and 45 years for women. While these statistics are tragic, there has been progress. Through a variety of health programs, more than 8.5 million people annually in 13 provinces targeted by USAID have better access to quality health care. A majority of those seeking health services are women and children under the age of five years, resulting in a 26% drop in child mortality according to the Ministry of Public Health.
The Program
USAID has prioritized the provision of quality basic health care for rural communities with a primary focus on women and children. USAID works closely with the Ministry of Public Health to provide essential services to the Afghan people. Our programs deliver basic health care in 13 provinces, and mentor Ministry and NGO staff at the central, provincial, district, and community levels to improve the coverage and quality of health service delivery. In addition, USAID programs increase the abilities of individuals, families, and communities to protect their own health through the development and distribution of a range of health education materials and products for use in homes and clinics.
- TRAINING HEALTH PROVIDERS AND DELIVERING HEALTH SERVICES: Given the remoteness of villages across Afghanistan and the lack of education for many Afghans, training in better health practices is critical for saving lives. USAID has trained nearly 17,000 of the 43,611 (approximately 40%) community health workers currently practicing in Afghanistan. This training includes pre-service training for midwives and community health workers and in-service training for doctors, midwives, nurses, and community health workers.
USAID and the Ministry of Public Health together support healthcare providers throughout the health system—from community health workers in villages to provincial and national hospitals. Over 750,000 patients (70% of which are women and children) receive treatment and counseling monthly from USAID trained community healthcare workers.
- BUILDING CAPACITY IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM: USAID has worked with the Ministry of Public Health to improve their capacity to plan and manage activities, allocate resources, increase human capacity, strengthen the health information system, and monitor and evaluate the Basic Package of Health Services and the Essential Package of Hospital Services programs. USAID’s activities with the Ministry have resulted in the ability of the Ministry to directly receive a USAID grant for implementation of the Basic Package of Health Services and the Essential Package of Hospital Services.
- POLIO ERADICATION ACTIVITIES AND TB CONTROL: Insecurity along the border regions, especially in the south, has led to a lack of health workers and an increase in the number of polio cases from about seven in 2004 to 20 to date in 2008. Afghanistan and Pakistan are two of the four remaining countries in the world with live polio virus. USAID supports the national Polio Eradication Initiative and provides support to Afghanistan’s immunization service delivery network through communication regarding the importance of immunization. As a result of USAID assistance, over seven million children, or 90% of Afghan children under the age of five, have been vaccinated against polio.
USAID also supports tuberculosis (TB) control efforts through the BPHS/EPHS delivery system. TB detection and treatment, through the Directly Observed Therapy, Short Course (DOTS) methodology, will be further strengthened in USAID’s 13 target provinces. Globally recognized as the best way to cure TB and control its spread, DOTS is a six to eight month program, depending on the severity of infection, in which health providers directly administer medication and closely monitor patient progress. USAID has provided assistance to upgrade laboratory services in the nationwide TB control program.
- EXPANDING HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND DISTRIBUTING HEALTH-PROMOTING PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS: More than 60% of the families in Afghanistan drink unsafe water —a leading cause of acute diarrhea. Dehydration, a life-threatening side effect of diarrhea, is a major cause of death among children under five. USAID works to expand distribution of socially marketed high-quality health products, disseminate public health messages, and make more products and services available to rural low-income people in a cost-effective way. According to fall 2008 survey data, knowledge of birth spacing, safe water systems, and dehydration prevention has increased within Afghanistan and that the socially marketed products are being used by both urban and rural populations.
- CLINIC CONSTRUCTION: In conjunction with the Ministry of Public Health, USAID is building and renovating health facilities throughout Afghanistan to provide the population more access to healthcare. As of June 2008, more than 670 health facilities, including hospitals, have been built or refurbished.
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