February 2020 - WACI Health

February 4, 2020 byWACI Health Secretariat

Youth Leaders for Health Program (YL4H) Advocacy Training in Ethiopia

WhatsApp Image 2020 01 27 at 5.28.19 PM 1 — **Youth leaders at the YLH4 advocacy training WACI Health/2020**

WACI Health and partners organized the Youth Leaders for Health Program (YL4H) training on 27 – 31 January 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. YL4H is a joint program by WACI Health, RESULTS UK, Health Promotion Tanzania-HDT, Hope for Future Generations (Ghana), and CISMAT- SL (Sierra Leone) with support from Comic Relief. The program has brought together 25 Youth Leaders from Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Ghana passionate about health and healthcare systems.

The youth leaders will influence decision-makers during pivotal moments such as national elections, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and World Malaria Day towards ending the malaria epidemic; to achieve universal health coverage (UHC).

Additionally, the youth leaders’ advocacy work in will involve close liaison with the Africa Union Commission to influence policy change on malaria as a key outcome measure of well-functioning primary healthcare systems and health systems strengthening at global, regional levels, specifically the Commonwealth Youth Leaders Declaration and the Consensus of the Heads of State of the African Union, and at country level.

So that with strong health systems, we see an end to epidemics, neglected tropical diseases and communicable diseases by 2030.

‘Together we will advocate for policy change at key national, regional and global advocacy moments. We shall influence decision-makers during a range of pivotal moments such as national elections, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and World Malaria Day towards ending the malaria epidemic, achieve universal health coverage (UHC) and create lasting impact.’ Quipped the enthusiastic youths. Read the statement issued by the youth here.

February 4, 2020 byWACI Health Secretariat

Civil Society Organizations in Kenya Urge for Increased Allocation of Resources for Health

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On 13 January, WACI Health and GFAN Africa joined civil society organizations in Kenya and participated in public hearings for the year 2020/2021 budget. Thereafter, the civil society organizations presented a memorandum to the Permanent Secretary, National Treasury, and Planning, outlining budgetary concerns for the health sector.

Noting that health is a fundamental human right, the CSOs acknowledged the Government’s commitment to health and its focus on achieving Universal healthcare coverage. They urged the Government of Kenya to increase its allocation of domestic resources for health to ensure effective and efficient quality healthcare for all Kenyans.

Additional funds are urgently required for hiring additional health professionals, renovation of public health facilities, improving the supply chain management and for the expansion of the national referral system. Additionally, there should be emphasis and scaling up of promotional and preventive healthcare services. Investments in health should be considered in partnership with other sectors such as the environment, in the wake of climate change which has resulted in emerging and increasing vector-borne diseases.

Additional domestic resources for health are especially critical at this time that donor funding is dwindling as Kenya is a lower-middle-income country. Investment in health is key to achieving the 2030 development agenda and for sustainable economic growth leading to a prosperous Kenya.