Health Literacy in AfghanistanAchievements and Way forward

Regional Ministerial Meeting for Asia and the Pacific on

“ Promoting Health Literacy”29 and 30th April 2009, Beijing, China

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ministry of Public Health

Nadera Hayat Burhani, MDDeputy Minister for Health Care Service Provision

Contents Afghanistan’s Demographic Situation

Briefing on Health Situation

Achievements for health literacy

Challenges and barriers

Recommendations for capacity building

Located in South Asia Land locked country Mosaic ethnic groups Diverse geography

Afghanistan

Demographic Situation Population: 24 million [Central Statistic

Office, 2007]

Female / Male Ratio : 49/51 Literacy Rate : 35-40 % [Ministry of

Education 2007)

GDP : 415 USD [central Statistic Office, 2007 ]

Average Life Expectancy is 46 years Human Development Index: 0.312

Present Health Situation

Under five mortality rate: 191 / 1000 live births

Maternal Mortality Ratio : 1600/100000 live births

Coverage to Primary Health Services: 85 %

Present Health Situation

Afghanistan National Development Strategy and Health and Nutrition Sector Strategy 2008-2013

Two main strategies for health care provision : Basic Package of Health Services and Essential Package of Hospital Services , contracted out

Public Private Partnership for Health strategy developed

Progress in Percentage of Health Facilities with at least one female health

worker, Afghanistan 2003, 2008

Progress in Child Mortality Rate in Afghanistan

Progress in Percentage of Heath Facilities with at least one Female Health Workers, Afghanistan 2003-2008

Presence of more than 20000 Community Health Workers

Improving health facility – community interaction by Partnership Development Quality ( PDQ ) and Participatory Learning Approach ( PLA) strategies

Establishing Healthy School Initiative since 2006

Support to Communities

Communication and vaccination Campaigns

Achievements in Health Literacy

Planned , Systematic Health Education Sessions

Providing good working environment for health workers to provide better information for patients

Increased number of female health workers

Support to Health Facilities

Building Capacity of health workers

Achievements in Health Literacy

Increased the number of outpatient visits as a consequence of improvement in the health literacy

Progress in institutional Delivery, ANC and FP Utilization

Low Socio-economic Condition ( Education , income and employment )

Gender: women suffer more due to low literacy rate

Insecurity in some parts of the country

Challenges in Health Literacy

Low access to available information

Cultural barriers and believes

Recommendations : How to build the capacity    

A rapid assessment to understand the real challenge of the health literacy issues in Afghanistan 

Advocacy for Inter-ministerial collaboration specially with ministry of education and religious affairs

A national policy should be developed ,

Promoting and strengthening Telemedicine approach

Strengthening pictorial language

Strengthen interpersonal Communication skills of Health workers

Capacity building for Media and building partnership with them

Establishing an electronic system of health information provision

Recommendations : How to build the capacity    

   Establishment of technical advisory group or

medical expert association on health literacy. Exchange of experts and experience through

affiliation programs among the Regional countries.

Having joint Regional Protocols and plans for health literacy

Setting of standards for health literacy at all levels.

Establishment of a data sharing network Set up an E-health or telemedicine network

Recommendation: How to build the capacity at regional level  

Questions, Comments