By Justina Hilda Paaga
Takoradi, Sept. 30, GNA – The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) says strengthening community participation and accountability in health service delivery requires effective systems, access to information and sustained public engagement.
Dr Charity Binka, Executive Secretary of AMMREN, said the Community Scorecard approach provided an important platform for communities and health service providers to identify challenges, discuss priorities and contribute to improving the quality and responsiveness of health services.
She was speaking at a webinar on the Community Scorecard Project, organised in collaboration with the Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PPMED) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The collaboration was made possible through the Expertise France 5% Initiative Grant.
Dr Binka said for the scorecard process to have a lasting impact, lessons emerging from communities must be communicated widely, while the voices of citizens must be heard beyond the immediate project locations.
“This is where the media has a particularly important role to play. Journalists can help translate technical information into accessible public knowledge, bring community concerns to attention of decision makers, highlight positive practices, and follow up on commitments made to improve upon health services,” she said.
She said responsible and evidence-based reporting could help strengthen transparency, accountability and public confidence in the health system.
The webinar brought together officials of the GHS, media practitioners and key partners to share experiences, reflect on progress and deepen their understanding of the Community Scorecard approach.
Dr Binka expressed appreciation to partners, including the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) and the West Africa Programme to Combat AIDS and STI (WAPCAS), for their support.
“Let us share what is working, acknowledge the challenges, and identify practical ways of strengthening the partnership between communities, health service providers, the media and other stakeholders,” she urged.
Dr Binka reaffirmed AMMREN’s commitment to bridging the gap among health research, policy, communities and the media.
She said when communities were informed, health workers engaged, and the media equipped with the knowledge and tools to report effectively, stronger pathways towards responsive and accountable health systems could be created.
Ms Aseye Kpodotsi, Programme Coordinator of the Community Scorecard Initiative, said the GHS was scaling up the National Community Scorecard Initiative to strengthen the health system by enabling communities to rate health services and act on their findings across all 16 regions and 261 districts.
She said the initiative was coordinated by the PPMED through the Community Scorecard Secretariat at the GHS Headquarters and was being implemented under a 48-month grant funded by Expertise France through the French 5% Initiative.
Ms Kpodotsi said the project sought to amplify the voices of communities in primary healthcare delivery and strengthen the health system by scaling up the Community Scorecard.
This, she said, would enable communities to actively provide feedback and act on their findings to improve services and the quality of care.
GNA