Pô Hosts Dialogue on Enhancing Health Service Access for Women and Children

PÔ, Nahouri Province — A crucial gathering aimed at addressing and improving the access of women and children to health services was held on February 24, 2024, in Pô, within the province of Nahouri. The event, organized by the Youth Association for the Promotion of Orphans (AJPO), sought to engage community members in identifying and overcoming barriers to health services for these vulnerable groups.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the framework for community dialogue facilitated by AJPO was part of a broader initiative to ensure universal health coverage in Burkina Faso. This initiative is aligned with global efforts to provide quality health services to all individuals without financial hardship, focusing on removing accessibility obstacles and enhancing the quality of health systems. The event underscored the importance of civil society’s role in monitoring access to health services through community engagement.

The Permanent Secretariat of Non-Governmental Organizations (SPONG), in partnership with UNICEF, has been actively involved in a community monitoring project. This project targets the access of vulnerable groups to health services across 31 municipalities, including Pô and Tiébélé, representing the Nahouri province. The initiative’s main goal, highlighted during the February 24 meeting, was to collaboratively identify solutions to the challenges faced by women and children in accessing health services.

During the dialogue, the head nurse of the urban CSPS (Community Health Service Provider) of Pô, Abou-Dramane Bila, presented on the current dysfunctions within the health service access framework. Subsequently, the thirty participants engaged in an analysis of performance indicators in maternal and child health. They developed micro plans to tackle issues relating to the accessibility of health services for women and children in their communities, offering various suggestions and recommendations for improvement.

Doctor Daouda Bamba, the chief medical officer of the Pô health district and chair of the meeting, highlighted a significant issue in the district: a shortage of medicines due to delays in the reimbursement of funds allocated for free services. He expressed appreciation for the selection of his district for the citizen watch initiative led by AJPO and the commitment from stakeholders to enhance the monitoring of health service access.

The meeting concluded with positive feedback from the thirty participants, who felt their contributions had laid the groundwork for actionable strategies to improve community access to health services. The event was supported by SPONG, with project manager Nadine Diao/Oubda representing the organization, and its partner UNICEF, marking a significant step toward addressing health service accessibility issues in the region.