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Browsing Other / General by Subject "Africa"

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    ARHAP Tools Workshop Report
    (2004-06) Cochrane, James R; Schmid, Barbara
    The African Religious Health Assets Programme (ARHAP) was proposed in April 2002 and initiated in December of that same year, under the joint leadership of three individuals: Dr Gary Gunderson and Prof Deborah McFarland, both of Emory University (Department of International Health), and Prof James Cochrane of the University of Cape Town (Department of Religious Studies). It is the front edge of a global religious health assets initiative. It was predicated upon a conviction that faith-based organizations, groups and movements, though playing a significant role in the delivery and promotion of health, are generally not well understood or sufficiently visible to public health systems in most societies. The underlying assumption, of course, is that we need a much more “intelligent science” about the role and importance of religious health assets (RHAs) than is currently available (or if available, then only in scattered and fragmented form). This assumption stems from the growing awareness in public health bodies of all kinds, from multilateral bodies such as the UN or the WHO and international NGOs to local governments, that faith-based health activities are a very important part of the effective meeting of ideals such as those embodied in the Millennium Development Goals and their equivalents at less global levels.
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    The contribution of Religious Entities to Health Sub-Saharan Africa
    (2008-05) Schmid, Barbara; Thomas, Elizabeth; Olivier, Jill; Cochrane, James R
    Background: While most partners in providing health care in sub-Saharan Africa agree that religious entities play an important role in providing health services, there is little comprehensive data about the scope and scale of their contribution, beyond data held by particular religious entities about their own health related work. In addition not much is known, beyond claims and often repeated statements, about the ways in which such health care is different from services provided in the public health system. 2. Aims and Objectives The overall purpose of this study was to provide a description of the contribution of faith based organisations (FBOs), institutions, and networks to the health of vulnerable populations in resource-poor areas of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA); and to identify key areas for investment that would accelerate, scale up and sustain access to effective services, and/or encourage policy and resource advocacy among and in African countries. There were two main parts to the objectives: 1) To give an overview for SSA of the coverage, role, and core health related activities of religious entities, including major networks, vis a vis public and other private sector health services delivery, and their relationship to government and to each other. 2) To give more detailed information for three country case studies in Mali, Uganda and Zambia: a) describing the capacity of faith based organisations to deliver health services and impact on health behaviour; the financial and/or material support they receive and how they are perceived by stakeholders; b) characterizing key faith based networks and describing how they work; c) describing how faith based organisations collaborate with each other and with governments. From these were to be drawn recommendations about key areas for potential investment that would improve population health outcomes. 3. Research overview: The research was conducted under the auspices of the African Religious Health Assets Programme (ARHAP), a research networks focussed on gaining a better understanding of the contribution of religious health assets to public health in Africa. The team of ARHAP researchers, from the University of Cape Town and the Medical Research Council was supported by an international, inter-disciplinary and multi-religious advisory group as well as in-country researchers.