Adapted from Dr. Ahmed Ogwell’s opening keynote at the 2nd Africa Primary Health Care Forum, held in Abuja, Nigeria, on July 30, 2026. Across Africa, families are making impossible choices every day. A mother in northern Nigeria delays taking her child to the clinic...
What happens when a community comes together and is involved in the implementation and design of health interventions? The answer can be found in the remote, rural village of Jalasi, located in Mangochi District Malawi. Here, VillageReach and the Mangochi District...
Beatrice wakes at sunrise in Migori County, her work plan already in hand. The work plan maps out neighbourhoods, lists caregivers and details the community health workers she will support today. “I don’t wear a white coat, but I bring hope,” she says, folding the...
When we talk about universal health coverage, one thing is clear: it’s not enough for health systems to exist; they must be able to respond. Responsive Primary Health Care (Responsive PHC) is about ensuring that services are available when and where people need them,...
No single actor can solve Kenya’s health challenges alone. — Dr. Maureen Kimani, Head, Division of Community Health, Ministry of Health, Kenya. Across Kenya, there is a growing recognition that effective delivery of health commodities up to the community level is...
Increasing access to essential medicines and vaccines is critical to achieving universal health coverage. This, of course, is no simple task, especially in Africa where the challenges, both logistical and financial, are real,1 and the solutions are complex and varied....
“In the village, people call me doctor. I am respected by my community,” says Martha Masawa with pride. “People come to me for help. They ask for medicine and advice. I’m happy because now I’m a ‘doctor’ and have medical knowledge. I can give medicine and advise...
Supply chains are only as strong as their weakest link. This holds particularly true for health supply chains, where any break or delay can be deadly — life is at risk when communities don’t receive medical supplies on time. At the heart of community health, Community...
In Southeast Africa lies Malawi, where a nation affectionately known as “the warm heart of Africa” grapples with the formidable challenge of delivering quality primary health care (PHC) to a largely rural population. Despite strides in recent years, only 50% of...
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), bridging the gap between under-reached communities and essential health care services remains a pressing challenge. Up to two-thirds of Congolese people (50 million people) face barriers when accessing health care, including...
