THE AFRICA MOVEMENT FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES


3. SECTORIAL ANALYSIS, PROBLEM ANALYSIS AND ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENT ACTORS:

3.1 Problem analysis:

A healthy communities’ movement is justified because Africa’s problems are numerous vicious circles which reinforce each other and which must be tackled together. These problems can be classified into three levels: roots (causes), trunk (effects) and branches (impact).

a) Roots:
- Heavy disease burden and lack of self confidence
- Limited infrastructures/technologies
- Little or no sustainable development

b) Trunks:
-Few ineffective partnerships and community support groups
- Elites at home or abroad, inactive
- Scanty resources available-locally, nationally and externally
-Shortage of human, technical and financial resources
- Little community participation for holistic action; clients, communities, and local elites ineffective

c) Branches:
-Unawareness of the health situation
-No community involvement
-Funds not available
-Challenges, essentially ignored
-No plans for development packages
- Sluggish progress towards millennium goals



3.2 Analysis of the different actors

The principal network components of this movement include member communities (local community entities, dialogue structures, and multidisciplinary health experts), support structures (community support groups, health development centres, and partner/twin communities), governance and leadership (Honorary Patrons, Board of Trustees, Executive management team).

I- GOVERNANCE

Honorary patrons, distinguished African personalities, guarantors of the image of the movement.
The Board of Trustees decides the policies and operations of Global Health Dialogue and the movement. The board would comprise “Partners” (shareholders) and “members” committed to community health development.
The Executive management Team includes a small number of individuals, employees who ensure the smooth running of current business as determined by member communities, community support groups and the Board.


The executive team will serve the Board of Trustees in its over sight of the movement and provide support for the following:
-Advocacy and resource mobilization
-Coordination of resource allocation
-Monitoring of resource mobilization


II- SUPPORT STRUCTURES

Community support Groups would include individuals of varying backgrounds within a given country or elsewhere (Diaspora) willing and able to assist member communities achieve better health. They would intervene in priority activities as well as capacity building. Health Development Centres (HDCs) are fixed structures established within a province or region, able to provide technical expertise. Community support groups will help create and sustain HDCs. Young health experts with varying backgrounds will operate from these centres. Partners/Twin communities are community groups or communities in other countries (in Africa or other continents) which enter into a partnership with member communities.


III- MEMBER COMMUNITIES

III-1 Local community entities

Local community entities in member communities would constitute a global network of autonomous actors, committed to partnership arrangements to mobilize necessary resources, management by objectives, community development and self reliance. They will be assisted by young experts with varied backgrounds (management, communication, economics, sociology, law, languages, information technology, physics, chemistry, biology, agriculture, engineering and the health sciences).


Local government areas, local councils would be members of the movement. Under the umbrella of the “commune” or local council - health clubs, associations, schools, enterprises, faith based organizations, media, sports clubs, social clubs, cultural groups, health centres, youth and women’s groups etc would be associate members.


District health committee members, in collaboration with their district health teams, would support community health initiative of their component villages or communes; they will also deliver a nationally determined package of district health interventions. A minimum package will set realistic targets in the areas of child survival, save motherhood and adult productivity; it would include (at least) child immunization, obstetric care, essential drugs whilst promoting adult (health) literacy, family food security as well as water supplies, sanitation and secure housing.


District development committee members in collaboration with their district administration officials will promote social and economic development activities. They would judiciously utilize locally available resources-capital, energy and raw materials- to promote economic development through carefully selected interventions in the domain of agriculture, commerce and industry; and re-invest the product of economic growth in social interventions in support of human development, human habitats and human populations.


District health team members and district health committees would be briefed on how they would collaborate with District Development Committee members and district administration officials and vice versa. They will all collaborate with local (community) residents active in agriculture (farmers), in industry (craftsmen) and commerce (traders) as well as local community based organizations such as youth clubs, women groups and workers associations.


III-2 Dialogue structures:

Dialogue structures are groups established by local authorities and health promoters. They would include health care investors, providers and beneficiaries. They will aim to ensure better health at minimum cost with community participation.


III-3 Multidisciplinary young experts:

Multidisciplinary teams of young graduates would receive accelerated training and assigned to work under local leadership with local entities and dialogue structures.Read more