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Health Programme

Bringing health closer to households.

Our Community Health and Health Promotion interventions bring essential health information, preventive services and community engagement closer to individuals and households — working with leaders, volunteers, health workers, and women and youth groups to strengthen community ownership of health and connect households with the primary healthcare system.

Community health outreach in the field
Community outreach — Borno, Adamawa & Yobe

Objectives

  1. Strengthen community participation and ownership of health initiatives.
  2. Promote healthy behaviours and timely use of health services.
  3. Strengthen community–health system linkages.

Resilient health outcomes start at the household, not the clinic door.

We adopt a community-centred and participatory approach, working with community leaders, health workers, volunteers, women and youth groups, civil society organisations and other local stakeholders to strengthen community ownership of health initiatives.

Our interventions complement facility-based services by strengthening demand, early care-seeking, referral and linkages between communities and the primary healthcare system.

Key areas of intervention

8 areas

Community Health Education and Awareness

Accessible, culturally appropriate health information on priority issues, prevention practices and care-seeking — delivered through community meetings, outreach and interpersonal communication.

Community Mobilization and Engagement

Engaging traditional and religious leaders, community groups, and women and youth networks to build participation, ownership, trust and collective action on priority health issues.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Practical measures that help individuals, households and communities prevent illness — addressing priority health risks and encouraging healthy, preventive practices.

Community Health Worker Engagement

Strengthening the role of community health workers and volunteers in health promotion, household engagement, basic education, referral and follow-up.

Community–Facility Linkages

Two-way linkages between communities and health facilities to improve access, service utilisation, referral and continuity of care.

Behaviour Change Communication

Targeted communication approaches, tailored to specific populations and contexts, addressing misinformation and social or behavioural barriers to health.

Community Outreach and Demand Creation

Targeted outreach to underserved, vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, increasing awareness and uptake of essential health services.

Community Participation and Accountability

Communities participate in identifying health priorities, giving feedback on services and contributing to local solutions and greater accountability.

An inclusive, participatory, evidence-informed approach.

Implemented alongside government health authorities, health facilities, community structures and other partners.

  • Community EngagementInvolving communities in identifying priorities, designing responses and supporting implementation.
  • Local LeadershipWorking with traditional, religious, women and youth leaders to strengthen ownership.
  • Community Health WorkforceStrengthening the capacity of health workers and volunteers to support promotion, referral and follow-up.
  • Behaviour ChangeContext-specific strategies that address barriers, misconceptions and practices affecting health.
  • Equitable AccessPrioritising underserved, vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.
  • Referral and LinkagesConnecting households and community structures with health facilities for timely, continuous care.
  • Partnership and CoordinationAligning with government, communities and civil society on local health priorities.
  • Evidence and Community FeedbackUsing community feedback and programme learning to keep improving.
Support Us

Help communities lead their own health.

Donors, health authorities and partners can reach out to support community health volunteers, workers and outreach across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

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