Public Health Accessibility in East African Slums

1. Public Health Accessibility in East African Slums Timeline What socioeconomic and spatial factors influence an individual’s accessibility to local healthcare in East African Slums? Slum conditions consist of overcrowding, filth, inadequate water supply, and poverty, thus leading to poor healthcare for urban dwellers (Abuya 2012). Sanitation and health services are provided in major cities, but due to lack of socioeconomic stability, healthcare is not accessible to slum populations. Different forms of healthcare, such as: NGOs, governmentally associated organizations, non-for-profit organizations, family caregivers, public hospitals and private healthcare providers are available. The World Health Organization (WHO), has created a public healthcare strategy. WHO’s main goal of public health is to reach entire populations within communities while integrating all governments into healthcare systems, ultimately governed by the community (Stjernsward 2007). Though medicines and licensed healthcare professionals are available in East Africa, they are not reaching slums. Healthcare is not provided in the slums, because there is no space, it is dangerous, and costs outweigh profit. Though the slum population has easy physical accessibility to healthcare providers, they are not able to afford the cost of healthcare. The National Hospital Insurance Fund passed a bill in 2004 with the intention of making health insurance available and more affordable for those living in low income areas, slums in East Africa. However, employment and education levels are additional factors that influence one’s ability to acquire health insurance and thus healthcare. Methodology • Become familiar with locals and culture. Map out the local slums and local health care centers • Interview locals of varying socioeconomic status in various slums. Within this, give and recieve surveys • Visit local health care locations, retrieving as much data as possible concerning costs of procedure, medication, check-ups, etc. • Compile and assess data into tables and written account • Create research write-up Primary Resources Abuya, Benta A., James Ciera, and Elizabeth Kimani-Murage. “Effect of Mother’s Education on Child’s Nutritional Status in the Slums of Nairobi.”BMC Pediatrics 12 (June 21, 2012): 80. Observation.” Handbook of Qualitative Research 1 (1994): 248-261. Kyobutungi, C., A. K Ziraba, A. Ezeh, and Y. Yé. “The Burden of Disease Profile of Residents of Nairobi’s Slums: Results from a Demographic Surveillance System.” Population Health Metrics 6, no. 1 (2008): 1. Stjernswärd, Jan. “Palliative Care: The Public Health Strategy.” Journal of Public Health Policy 28, no. 1 (January 1, 2007): 42-55. World Bank. Improving Health, Nutrition and Population Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa the Role of the World Bank. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10073905. Emma Grove, Maura Milder, Ben Rathbun ENVS 220 Fall 2012