Penplusbytes’ People for Health Project Reaches 25,000 People
Penplusbytes has leverage on the potential of ICT as part of the People for Health (P4H) project to improve healthcare delivery to nearly 25,000 people through a web based portal.
Celebrating the successes of the second part of the project, records shows that 501,355 people visited the web, 54 issues were highlighted, 117 issued have been resolved, 841,035 community members engaged, 4,088 expired NHIS cards renewed, 557 first time NHIS users registered and 7,789 community members educated on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The project further revealed that 138 facilities impacted, 22 Civil Society impacted, 13,515 number of persons impacted, 812 health professionals impacted and 22,070 citizens mobilized.
The 5year project has brought about the creation of District Citizen Monitoring Committees in 20 districts and 70 Community Health Management Committees (CHMCS) constituted to support the engagement of citizens and duty bearers.
The committee members are made up of Persons Living with HIV, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women, youth, traditional authorities, religious groups, key populations and assembly members.
The project is currently being implemented in 20 communities in four regions such as Northern, Eastern, Volta and Greater Accra.
The Executive Director of Penplusbytes, Kwame Ahiagbenu said key indicators of the project reveals that 362 feedback were received, 117 verified, 54 resolved, 22 escalated and 245 under processing.
He noted that his outfit developed an interactive online platform ( www.people4health.org ) to facilitate citizens' access to health information especially the Patients' Charter and provide an avenue for citizens to report their experiences in accessing healthcare.
Mr. Ahiagbenu added that key output of the dashboard is the provision and facilitating the sharing of information on 5 key thematic areas- maternal and child health/family planning, malaria, water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition and HIV/AIDS health service delivery at the district, regional and national levels.
He noted that it is also to provide a seamless and anonymous, interface platform for reporting cases of stigmatization and discrimination in receiving proper health care especially among the projects' key populations (KPs) and people living with HIV/AIDS.
According to him, the P4H project ultimately seeks to empower citizens, strengthen organisational and institutional capacities of government and civil society organisations (CSOs) for mutual accountability in health, HIV, water, sanitation, family planning and nutrition policy formulation and implementation.
Mr. Ahiagbenu intimated that several community radio forums were organized to engaged communities and members who do not have access to internet or technologically inclined.