PeaCe Health 2021-2022 PeaCe Health 2021-2022 The PeaCe Health programme is designed around an ambition to put people and their needs at the centre to achieve sustainable results for sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health and nutrition (SRMNCAH/N) in Eastern and Southern provinces. The intervention will be implemented by the Zambian Ministry of Health and be based on a people-centred approach, developed by WHO, that puts people's rights and individual needs in the centre. This approach lies behind the PeaCe Health acronym: People at the Centre of Health.

The specific overall objectives of PeaCe Health are to contribute to: 1. Resilient and accountable health systems at primary health care and community level;  2. Integrated people-centred and rights-based SRMNCAH/N services provided; and 3. Increased utilization of integrated SRMNCAH/N services and information

With  objectives achieved, the theory of change assumes that women, children and adolescents will have access to and make use of quality, people-centred and rights-based, integrated and comprehensive SRMNCAH/N services in both provinces.

The intervention's budget is 95 Million SEK for the programme period May 2021 to December 2022, funded by Sida and implemented by the Ministry of Health of Zambia at national, provincial and district level (primary health care) in the targeted provinces. PeaCe Health-programmet är utformat med avsikt att sätta människor och deras behov i centrum för att uppnå hållbara hälsoresultat för kvinnor, barn och ungdomar i Eastern och Southern-provinserna i Zambia. Programmet ska genomföras av det zambiska hälsoministeriet och kommer att baseras på en individinriktad modell, utvecklad av WHO, som sätter människors rättigheter och individuella behov i fokus. Detta tillvägagångssätt ligger bakom förkortningen PeaCe Health (People at the Center of Health).

De övergripande förväntade målen för PeaCe Health är att bidra till: 1. Ett motståndskraftigt och ansvarsfullt hälsosystem som tillhandahåller god primärhälsovård i människors närsamhälle; 2. En rättighetsbaserad primärhälsovård som integrerar vårdtjänster och sätter människan i centrum; och 3. Ett ökat utnyttjande av primärhälsovårdstjänster och information bland kvinnor, barn och ungdomar.

Den föreslagna förändringsteorin utgår från att programmet ska leda till att kvinnor, barn och ungdomar kommer att ha tillgång till och använda primärhälsovårdstjänster av god kvalitet vid programmets slut.

Insatsen har en  total budget om 95 MSEK för programperioden som löper från maj 2021 till och med december 2022. Den finansieras av Sida och implementeras av Zambias hälsoministerium på nationell, provinsiell och distriktsnivå (primärvård) i de två provinserna. The objectives of the PeaCe Health Program are: By the end of 2024, the health systems, including the community health systems in Eastern and Southern provinces will be better equipped to deliver quality, people-centred, rights-based and equity focused SRMNCAH/N services which will lead to an increased uptake of services and prevention practices resulting in improved health outcomes, particularly among the most marginalized. 

The specific overall expected outcomes/objectives of the PeaCe Health programme are to contribute to:
1. Resilient and accountable health systems at primary health care and community level that ensure continued delivery of quality SRMNCAH/N services that address inequities in health and target the underserved, the poorest population and marginalized people in the target districts by 2024.
2. Integrated people-centred and rights-based SRMNCAH/N services provided throughout the continuum of care in the target districts and communities that focus on addressing the quality of care using evidence based and gender sensitive approaches by 2024.
3. Increased utilization of integrated SRMNCAH/N services and information through increased access to equity focused and rights-based people centred services, health promotion and supportive environment by 2024.

Despite significant progress made in reducing in particular maternal and child mortality during the RMNCAH/N programme, improvements have fallen short of meeting all intended targets and have not affected everyone equally. Many women, children and adolescents in the target provinces still lack access to quality essential health care despite implementation of high-impact interventions. The midterm review of the RMNCAH/N programme in early 2019 revealed inadequate attention for the reduction of inequities and efforts to reach the poorest and most underserved populations. The review also highlighted the need to address gaps in the implementation of adolescent sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, newborn care and community health interventions. These gaps have been exacerbated during the covid-19 pandemic with the health system having to re-focus to deliver specialized hospital care for covid patients, ensuring access to oxygen supply and high-tech equipment. The current focus on covid-19 has strained the capacity of the sector to provide basic essential services and diverted attention away from primary and community health provision. A key consequence has been a continued chronic lack of essential medicines coupled with people shunning health facilities for fear of covid, negatively affecting health outcomes. 

Based on the above, the follow-up PeaCe Health programme, calls for continued expansion of high impact primary health care interventions targeting women, children, newborn babies and adolescents, with more attention to SRHR behaviours, norms and human rights, gender dynamics and male involvement and a wider reach to the under-served and marginalized populations. The programme will be based on a people-centred approach, developed by WHO, that puts people's rights and individual needs at the forefront while planning and implementing interventions. This approach lies behind the PeaCe Health acronym - People at the Centre of Health. The target population of PeaCe Health include women, adolescents and children in Eastern and Southern provinces, which together make up about 3 million people.