ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review
Regional Ministerial Meeting on
Promoting Health Literacy
Beijing, China 29-30 April 2009
Building capacity to increase health literacy
K C Tang, Scientist - Health Promotion, WHO Geneva
Outline
 What type of capacity building activities are needed?
 What skills and support do health practitioners need?
 How can various stakeholders increase health literacy?
2|
What types of activities
Workforce
capacity
Organizational
capacity
3|
Community
capacity
Workforce capacity
Two focal concerns
No shortage of practitioners
High level of competency among practitioners
4|
Workforce capacity
Competency standards for practitioners
 Plan health promotion and education actions
 Build partnership
 Empower community
 Market healthy practices
 Manage activities
 Develop self and other professional's competency
(NSW Dept of Health 1994)
5|
Outcome of increased competency (1)
Dear Parent (as addressed),
Council records indicated that Natasha Stevens is due/overdue for the following
vaccination:
TRIPLE ANTIGEN
POLIOMYELITIS
MEASLES/MUMPS
1ST
1ST
2ND 3RD CUT
2ND 3RD 4TH
TRIPLE BOOSTER
Please present your child with this card for vaccination at the Lower Civic Hall
at 2:20 PM on 14th Dec. If unable to attend or wish to change the appointment
date, or you do not intend to continue, continuing elsewhere or changing address.
Please contact the HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
TOWNHALL, STUART STREET, BALLARAT.
PHONE
313277
6|
(Hawe et al 1998)
Outcome of increased competency (2)
Dear Mrs Stevens,
MEASLES is still a problem, in BALLARAT, particularly for children aged
under the age of 2 years. Some children suffer severe complications.
The children who are most likely to catch measles are those who have not been
immunized. Immunization is very effective. There is almost no chance of side
effects. Clinics are held at the Lower Civic Hall in Main Street from 2-3:40 PM
EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY. Immunization is free!
The next clinic is on Wednesday 14 December.
If Natasha is not yet immunized against the measles you should bring him along.
Regards.
Bob Scurry
Health
7 | Department
Enquires: PH 313277
(Hawe et al 1998)
Outcome of increased competency (3)
Results
1st week
3rd week
5th week
Usual card
HBM card
40
49
57
68
67
79
% changed
9
11
12
8|
Organizational capacity
The capacity of MOH to promote health
 Expertise of individual practitioners is necessary but
not sufficient
 Other capacity building action areas as well, including
policy and plans, financing, information, partnership
and delivery mechanisms
9|
Strengthening health systems
Service delivery
Information
Financing
WHR 2007
10 |
Leadership and
governance
Human resources
Medicines & technology
Policy focus
within government
Partnership focus
within government
Core of expertise
Policies and
Plans
A
B
Collaborative
mechanisms within
Government
C
D
E
Health
promotion
financing
F
Information
systems
Professional
Development
Policy focus
|
11 government
outside
Program
Delivery
Partnerships among
NGOs, private sector
and government
Partnership focus
outside government
Organizational capacity
SADC Capacity Building Programme
Zambia
2008
2005
Expertise
6
Policies and plans
4
Collaboration within
Government
2
Funding
0
Partnerships between
sectors
Information
Professional
development
12 |
Program delivery
Organizational capacity
Health promotion financing
 Special levy on products
 Mandatory funding from general revenue
 Payments from health insurance funds
 Payments from social insurance schemes
 A set percentage from national health budget
 Grants and loans from aid organizations
13 |
An example of building
organizational capacity
 Advocate for expanding the finance base
 Assist in the setting up Health Promotion Foundations
 Develop a measure to determine health promotion
spending in national health accounts
 Explore the possibility of inclusion of a health
promotion component in social health insurance
schemes
14 |
Community capacity
Knowledge
About
community
Problem
Solving
ability
15 |
Participation
Commitment
Community
facilities
Literacy
An example of
Building community capacity
 Increase health literacy through improved knowledge,
adherence and access to anti retroviral treatment of
opportunistic infection among people living with
HIV/AIDs in Thailand
(Aree Kumphitak et al 2004)
16 |
An example of
Building community capacity
 Health education
 Mutual support
 Participation in the delivery of treatment & care
 Availability of quality and affordable medicines
(Aree Kumphitak et al 2004)
17 |
What knowledge & skills are required
 A workforce with the right skills mixed - teachers,
communications experts, social and political
scientists, engineers, lawyers and managers
18 |
What knowledge & skills are required
 Health Care System – improved access
 Government – regulatory role
 Society – support for individuals' role in home based care
 Media – access to reliable, understandable information
 Education – school, adult and professional education
 Business – employee health and safety programme
(IOM Roundtable on HL, 2006)
19 |
How to increase HL by stakeholders (1)
Govt / Civil Society / Media / Industry / Universities etc
Support research / policy analysis
 Provide seed funding for sustained action
 Synthesize evidence and compile technical guides
 Set up demonstration projects
 Train the trainers
 Undertake responsible marketing
Provide
quality and affordable medicines
20 |