|
Social innovation for health: a call for global action
TDR news item 16 December 2015 Social innovation leaders and other health system actors are jointly defining research and capacity strengthening strategies to better understand what works among community-led innovations and maximize positive health impact. At a recent meeting, they called for more coordinated global support to expand the use of social innovations.
More than fifty innovators, practitioners, government representatives, funders, and researchers were brought together by TDR, the Bertha Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Cape Town, and the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University in December to review a growing area - how communities can improve social and health systems. One of the issues faced by many people in low- and middle-income countries is the lack of access to healthcare. There are drugs, devices and vaccines but they aren't being delivered or accessed by those who need them most. Social innovation is one way that engages communities and the various health system actors in new approaches to develop solutions. Businesses, governments, donors and civil society organizations are increasingly working together and setting up exciting initiatives that improve health care access for the poor. Examples include primary health posts in rural areas in Rwanda run by nurses as well as supporting teachers in Malawi to help them recognize symptoms and diagnose malaria in their students. The Social Innovation in Initiative (SIHI), spearheaded at the beginning of 2014 by TDR, is a collaboration with the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town, and the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University. Research results for social innovationThe goal of the Social Innovation in Health Initiative is to integrate a social innovation lens within health systems policy and practice. Twenty-four social innovations already successfully in place in 16 countries were selected from a global call for proposals of community-based social innovations in health. The purpose is to showcase these ventures and analyse their effectiveness, shedding light on what has worked and why and how they could be adapted to other locations and needs. Case studies and related videos are now available at www.healthinnovationproject.org. Some of these projects were reviewed and discussed over 3 days in December at the TDR-convened meeting of the initiative?s partners, as well as funders and researchers. The main principles, reinforced by many speakers, are: · People solving their own problems · Comprehensive solutions, scalable and sustainable · Improving healthcare, but also creating jobs, empowering people and providing hope. TDR Director John Reeder says, "It's about driving a global culture. There are two aspects to this-approaching health from a social and inclusive way; and doing it well, with data, in a way that others can pick up and transform to their own context and their own particular settings." Dr Sue Kinn, head of research for health at the U.K. development agency DFID, points to the valuable information needed on not only what works, but what doesn't, so that funders can support the most effective practices. Work is underway to develop approaches for building capacity to do this kind of work. Dr Francois Bonnici, Director of the Bertha Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in South Africa, talked at the event about learning from these innovations. "We need to separate out what is social entrepreneurship that's about individualism and enterprise from the innovative delivery models that help to advance health outcomes and impact." New business modelsDr Pamela Hartigan of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University, the moderator of a panel session, said, "It's no longer a business model where, here's where I make money, and here's where I do good (like in corporate social responsibility programmes - CSR). It's about bringing these 2 spheres together. How do we actually make this sustainable so that we don't have to go back to donors year after year?" "CSR is only a small slice," said Shelley Batra of Operation ASHA, which started working in Cambodia with community programmes to deliver directly-observed TB treatment (DOTS) that are now being replicated in other countries. "There have to be more funds and resources." Dr Batra pointed out the need for more imaginative alternative funding, including the involvement of private corporations. She noted that emerging markets are expected in next decade to amount to US$ 34 trillion, so "we need to encourage and convince corporations of the value." The core partnership initiated at TDR has already drawn interest from others and is expected to expand. The meetings provided a set of draft recommendations, which will be discussed further: · Create a fund for operational and implementation research · Create and share tools to generate evidence to assess the impact of social innovation · Share what works and what does not and disseminate good practices
|
HOMEPAGE
Forum
Sitemap
Contact
Vietnamese
Petechial fever
