NGO Involvement in the Improvement of Health Services in OIC Member Countries

Brief Status of Muslim Aid

NGO role in improving health services

• Capacity building• Awareness raising• Act as link between community and

government• Improve coverage of health care services

Strategies NGOs can use to collaborate with the public sector

• Capitalise on donor preference for:a) Integrating NGOs into local heath sectorb) Consortiums• Drawing on advocacy skills of member

organisations • Utilising the NGO strengths for Health systems• Improve health awareness and improve healthy

behavior

Examples of how NGO role can help improving health services:

• Malaria is one of the worst example of the damage that transmissible disease can wreak.

• About 3.2 billion people are at risk of malaria.• In 2000 Malaria killed 850,000 people a year • Through campaign between 2000 and 2015, the

malaria incidence (the rate of new cases) has fallen globally by 37%

• Death rate fell by 60% globally among all ages and 65% among children.

• The Gates Foundation, an American charity reckons:

Eradicating malaria would bring the world $2 trillion of benefits by 2040

Muslim Aid Strengths as an FBO• Passion and commitment for serving the humanity• Humanitarian services in emergency• Strong Community Mobilization & Community Empowerment• Community acceptance - Acceptability• Provision of services to marginalized & most vulnerable and deprived

communities• Addressing Accessibility issues of targeted communities by provision

of services at their doorsteps• Addressing Availability issues of targeted communities by providing

package of health care services • Need based interventions

Case Study 1: Bangladesh MABFO Health Services

• Area covered – 35 Upazilas under 14 Districts

Number of People served – 4,089,142 (4.9 million) Reproductive health Service – 255,742 Reducing Child Mortality and Mobility – 167, 718 Improving Nutritional status of pregnant and lactating mother and under five children – 69, 537 Promoting environmental and personal Hygiene practices – 1,136,905 Prevention and Treatment of Common Illness – 872,488 School based Nutritional services – 1,576,752

• Partners: Bangladeshi government + (MAHQ, USAID, WHO, UNICEF, WFP, EU, UKAid, AmeriCares)

• Fund Utilized: USD 56.2 million

Case Study 1 Bangladesh (contd.)Monitoring Nutritional Status at the Community level Hand Washing at School Level

Photo: Muslim Aid’s Health worker measuring BMI n Community level

Case Study 2: PakistanResults

Ulema Congregation in Peshawar for Immunization Program Support Involvement of Religious Leaders

Walk and campaign with RLs and Health Department representatives 14,784 Chronic religious refusals covered by active engagement of RLs

Case Study 2: Pakistan Effectiveness of Immunization Programme (EIP)Overview

• Regions: Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA )and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)

• Organisation: National Research & Development Foundation - NRDF

• Funded: UNICEF• Objectives: Increase equity

in Immunization

ActivitiesInvolving Male & Female Religious Leaders (RLs) in EPI Activities in 11 Districts of KPK & FATA• Mapping of chronic refusal among

RLs, mosques & faith schools at target districts

• Formation of District Core Groups of RLs

• Awareness Seminars for School Teachers

• Involvement of Male and Female RLs• Distribution of IEC material, Booklets

and Flyers• Awareness Walks for Immunization

and engagement masses in camp

Post Campaign – Chronic Refusals became Strong Supporters - Acceptability

RLs in action for

Polio Eradication!

Challenges and obstacles to the development of integrated NGO approach

External• No political will/Lack of

government support • Weak local government• Restriction due to NGO

reliance on donor funds• Service coverage due to rise

of non-state actor (terrorist/freedom fighters)

• Communities un-willingness to accept health services

Internal• Strengthening the communication

system/processes between NGOS• Individual alignment with goal of

collective• Addressing organizational and

structural weaknesses• Overcoming religious, political and

other differences between parties• Problems associated with

administering joint programmes

Thank you!

www.muslimaid.org