The Integrated Health Project in Burundi (IHPB), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is working to improve the overall health of Burundians by increasing capacity and strengthening integrated health systems, services and communication across facilities and communities. In collaboration with the Government of Burundi, civil society organizations and communities, IHPB will work to provide:
- Better, more integrated health services closer to home
- Trained community health workers and volunteers who can improve a family’s health and nutrition and ensure access to health centers when needed
- Opportunities to discuss how services are delivered, measured and improved
- Forums that allow women and men to work together to improve family health and support women’s access to services
- Access to health and behavior change communication that empowers Burundians to make healthier decisions
An emphasis on health systems strengthening and integration
In partnership with the Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS and in-country stakeholders, IHPB is helping to support and expand integrated health services that will increase service coverage, quality and efficiency. This includes analyzing client needs, facility capacity and the availability and use of services. IHPB engages patients, providers and health systems managers to identify root challenges in the health systems and ensure that:
- Patients can access multiple services at the same location from a minimum number of providers and through a minimum number of appointments and referrals
- Providers have the skills, supplies, information, time, support and relationships with other health providers needed to deliver high-quality services
- Providers are empowered and given incentives to improve services continually
- Health systems managers provide oversight and supervision to address facility and community health service needs
IHPB will also work with provincial and district health bureaus to identify priorities and make improvements in supply chain management, health information systems, planning and coordination, management of community health systems and human resource management.
IHPB is currently active in four provinces — Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo and Muyinga — and will potentially expand to four additional provinces in 2015.
