243162 Champion Community Approach: Creating a viable Palestinian health-care sector based on transparency, accountability, international standards, and best practices

Monday, October 31, 2011: 8:50 AM

Randa Bani Odeh, MS , Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development Project, Chemonics International Inc., Ramallah, Palestine
Hadeel Alqassis , Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development Project, Chemonics International Inc., Ramallah, Palestine
Wafa Shikaki, MA , USAID Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development (Flagship) Project, Implemented by Chemonics International Inc., Ramallah, Palestine
The Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development Project, funded by USAID, seeks to improve the quality of available health care by working with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, select NGOs, and select educational institutions, thereby creating a viable health-care sector based on transparency, accountability, international standards, and best practices. Through this Project, the Champion Community Approach was created as a means to strengthen the relationships between clinics, their communities, and their partner CBO's, ensuring the clinics are responsive to the needs of those they serve and that high-quality care is standardized. A vital component of the Champion Community Approach is the creation of community-clinic boards, comprised of representatives from diverse community groups (village council, religious leaders, educators, CBOs, NGOs and local businesses); these boards meet regularly to identify current health needs and to mobilize relevant community members to addresses these needs. Additionally, these boards work together to create strategic plans and policies for their clinics through open dialogues between community representatives and Ministry of Health staff, with a focus on improving accessibility to and equity of care. As a result of board interventions, stakeholders are already witnessing positive improvements in their clinics and subsequently becoming more actively involved. They have created volunteer networks to address current and future clinic needs, to assist in implementing services, and to help monitor activities and attitudes at their respective clinics and within their communities, creating a sense of pride and ownership that will promote sustainability and democracy within the Ministry's reform agenda.

Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
To demonstrate the improved quality of health-care services available in primary health-care clinics throughout the West Bank that has emerged through the creation and strengthening of partnerships between the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the clinics, and the communities served by these clinics.

Keywords: Community Health, Community Participation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working in the development field for the last thirteen years either as a coordinator, an officer or a field work manager. I have a long experience in working with communities and mobilizing them for health and other projects, one example is Hanan Project a USAID funded project that was implemented in Palestine from 2005-2008. Recently I work as a PHC officer in the Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development Project that is implemented by Chemonics International in Palestine and I am a member of the PHC team that is implementing the Champion Community Approach that will be the focus of the presentation at the APHA conference.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.