Please refer to SECTION C:
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION for details:The Integrated Health Initiative (IHI) Activity (Activity) will increase equitable access to and quality of health services and increase adoption of healthy behaviors, especially for women and children, in USAID target areas in Afghanistan.
The
Activity’s priority health areas are maternal and newborn health (MNH); family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH); child health; nutrition; tuberculosis (TB); and mental health.
This Activity will build on prior USAID investments, particularly the Assistance to Families and Indigent Afghans to Thrive (AFIAT), the Urban Health Initiative (UHI), and the Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) activities.The IHI Activity will focus on five high-density population provinces - Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Herat, and Balkh - with a total population of 1 2. 2 million, which is approximately 25 percent of the total population of the country.
These five provinces have a high disease burden, vulnerable populations, and limited access to health services due to distance, high costs, low awareness, and a shortage of female health care providers.
Additionally, Kandahar, Herat and Nangarhar have recently received large numbers of Afghans returning from neighboring countries.
These populations settle in urban areas for long periods of time before they go to their native provinces, resulting in increased stress to health and other social services.Within these provinces, the Activity will focus on the most vulnerable populations, particularly women, children and marginalized groups.
Health workers at all levels also constitute an important beneficiary population due to their central role in providing quality and respectful health services.
The Activity will engage men because of the critical role they play in family decision-making related to health.The IHI Activity will need to support a range of different health facilities such as speciality, regional and district hospitals; comprehensive and basic health centers; health posts; and private health facilities.
Supporting the private sector is critical to improving access to and the quality of services in the five priority provinces of this Activity.
Private facilities already serve a large proportion of the target population; offer opportunities to increase demand for commodities and services through social marketing programs; and some private for profit entities provide subsidized schemes for poor and needy populations to make health services more affordable.