Health Literacy in AfghanistanAchievements and Way forward
Regional Ministerial Meeting for Asia and the Pacific on
“ Promoting Health Literacy”29 and 30th April 2009, Beijing, China
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Ministry of Public Health
Nadera Hayat Burhani, MDDeputy Minister for Health Care Service Provision
Contents Afghanistan’s Demographic Situation
Briefing on Health Situation
Achievements for health literacy
Challenges and barriers
Recommendations for capacity building
Located in South Asia Land locked country Mosaic ethnic groups Diverse geography
Afghanistan
Demographic Situation Population: 24 million [Central Statistic
Office, 2007]
Female / Male Ratio : 49/51 Literacy Rate : 35-40 % [Ministry of
Education 2007)
GDP : 415 USD [central Statistic Office, 2007 ]
Average Life Expectancy is 46 years Human Development Index: 0.312
Present Health Situation
Under five mortality rate: 191 / 1000 live births
Maternal Mortality Ratio : 1600/100000 live births
Coverage to Primary Health Services: 85 %
Present Health Situation
Afghanistan National Development Strategy and Health and Nutrition Sector Strategy 2008-2013
Two main strategies for health care provision : Basic Package of Health Services and Essential Package of Hospital Services , contracted out
Public Private Partnership for Health strategy developed
Progress in Percentage of Health Facilities with at least one female health
worker, Afghanistan 2003, 2008
Progress in Child Mortality Rate in Afghanistan
Progress in Percentage of Heath Facilities with at least one Female Health Workers, Afghanistan 2003-2008
Presence of more than 20000 Community Health Workers
Improving health facility – community interaction by Partnership Development Quality ( PDQ ) and Participatory Learning Approach ( PLA) strategies
Establishing Healthy School Initiative since 2006
Support to Communities
Communication and vaccination Campaigns
Achievements in Health Literacy
Planned , Systematic Health Education Sessions
Providing good working environment for health workers to provide better information for patients
Increased number of female health workers
Support to Health Facilities
Building Capacity of health workers
Achievements in Health Literacy
Increased the number of outpatient visits as a consequence of improvement in the health literacy
Progress in institutional Delivery, ANC and FP Utilization
Low Socio-economic Condition ( Education , income and employment )
Gender: women suffer more due to low literacy rate
Insecurity in some parts of the country
Challenges in Health Literacy
Low access to available information
Cultural barriers and believes
Recommendations : How to build the capacity
A rapid assessment to understand the real challenge of the health literacy issues in Afghanistan
Advocacy for Inter-ministerial collaboration specially with ministry of education and religious affairs
A national policy should be developed ,
Promoting and strengthening Telemedicine approach
Strengthening pictorial language
Strengthen interpersonal Communication skills of Health workers
Capacity building for Media and building partnership with them
Establishing an electronic system of health information provision
Recommendations : How to build the capacity
Establishment of technical advisory group or
medical expert association on health literacy. Exchange of experts and experience through
affiliation programs among the Regional countries.
Having joint Regional Protocols and plans for health literacy
Setting of standards for health literacy at all levels.
Establishment of a data sharing network Set up an E-health or telemedicine network
Recommendation: How to build the capacity at regional level
Questions, Comments