Health Systems Strengthening Plus
Senegal
We support maternal and child health.
The United States Agency for International Development-funded Health Systems Strengthening (HSS+) project worked to improve the performance of the health system in Senegal by alleviating barriers to quality health services.
Accessing health care services has historically been difficult for people in Senegal, due to the country’s large rural population and long distances between communities and health facilities. As a result, public health suffers. For example, approximately 1 out of every 21 infants in Senegal do not survive to see their first birthday.
Project overview: 2016-2021
The HSS+ project was led by Abt Associates and included World Vision and Plan International as the two community engagement subrecipient organizations, in addition to local organizations Innovations Group and Health System in Africa (Groupe Issa), Association Council for Action and the African Resources Group. HSS+ involved strengthening local-level governance geared toward reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, and contributed to the USAID/Senegal Health Program (2016-2021) goal to improve the health status of the Senegalese population.
As one of the partners on the community engagement component, Plan focused on the key expected result of “strengthening community involvement in the management of health systems.” This included:
- Increasing awareness and community involvement in activities to promote health and enhance the continuity of health care.
- Increasing use of community funding mechanisms.
- Strengthening capacity of the structures of local government to improve health care in response to community needs.
In addition, Plan supported the development of community-based health insurance programs and communication and sensitization activities under the universal health coverage program at the department, commune and community levels. Plan’s activities focused on metropolitan Dakar, Kaolack (Nioro du Rip), Louga and Thiès.
Project
impact
- $2 million
- funded by USAID.
- 566,000+
- people planned to from community-based health insurance.
- 1,478
- health development committees and other platforms established .
- 380
- community health insurance programs strengthened.
A community leader
Absa, left, worked with the HSS+ project in her role as a leader of a community mutual health insurance organization. She participated in one of the project’s trainings for female leaders.
Planting seeds
The HSS+ project helped to establish community health development committees. In the Health District of Keur Massar, the committee opened a Nutritional Recovery Center and planted a vegetable garden to supply it.
Housing for health care professionals
The village of Cadjinolle used a framework designed by HSS+ to host community meetings about the performance of their local health center. As a result, the community decided to build housing for the center’s midwife (pictured) as well as the head nurse, to ensure continuity of service.
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