Bridging the gap between community and health care facilities remains a tough struggle.
Access to health care goes beyond having a functional health facility in the community. It’s also about trust, awareness, and bridging the barriers that keep people from seeking care at health facilities. This explains further the need to bridge the gap in seeking for health care service. Before now we use to advocate for the presence of functional health facilities but now we are advocating for community members to seek for care.
Many community members still face challenges that pulls them back from visiting health facilities. From cultural beliefs and financial constraints to fear of stigma or long waiting times. Most community members rely on traditional medication and see hospitals as last resort. While others fear cost of consultation, transportation, and medication. The absence of staff in the hospital has also pushed them to revert to their long-trusted means.
Partnering with local leaders, faith groups, and traditional leaders to give out accurate information can be a good strategy to increase awareness. Also, the use of local media means (radio), town criers, to raise awareness is another strategy. And subsidizing health care services and increasing community outreach sessions can increase trust and bring community members closer.
But do we all think these strategies are enough to bring them closer. How do we bridge the gap and encourage community members to seek for health care services from health facilities in their communities.
