Mission, Vision
VakaAfya envisions an optimally connected healthcare ecosystem that becomes a leading provider of world-class health prevention services. The mission is to improve access to preventive health services in Africa, contributing to better health outcomes and quality of life. The core values of VakaAfya include a belief in Africa’s health workforce and the power of partnerships to bring about positive change.
Values
The values of VakaAfya are:
Empowerment: We believe that Africa’s health workforce, when provided with the necessary tools, can change the health trajectory of its citizens for better.
Partnership: We believe that partnerships matter and that they work. We are committed to working with local communities, businesses, and other organizations to make VakaAfya a success.
Innovation: We are committed to innovation and finding new ways to improve access to healthcare in Africa.
Inclusivity: We seek to include persons, NGO´s and other professional operatives in the health ecosystem.
Target Areas and User Base
VakaAfya primarily targets rural and remote and under served regions in East, Central, and Southern Africa, where access to healthcare workers is challenging or nonexistent. These areas may also include regions affected by conflicts, wars, famine, or natural disasters. The application is designed for use by health workers such as nurses (active or retired), nursing students, and allied health professionals. The user interface is intuitive, simple and designed to the user’s context and routine workflows.
Implementation Strategy
The VakaAfya implementation strategy of VakaAfya is built around VakaAfya ambassadors who are ordinarily resident in the 15 countries within the ECSACON Community where the Vaka Health Foundation operates. These ambassadors develop annual plans and identify areas for medical outreaches. Through partnerships with local and international corporations, churches, and non-governmental organizations, funding is secured to implement these outreaches in the selected areas. VakaAfya ambassadors serve as team leads in the field screening activities. The implementation model emphasizes co-ownership by local communities, businesses, and VakaAfya ambassadors.
Benefits and Alignment with Universal Health Coverage
By utilizing VakaAfya, health workers are able to screen for chronic medical conditions and provide treatment for minor ailments on site. Clients served receive their medical advisory notes through the application, including health education. The medical advisory note is delivered to the patient via whatsapp and they can take the note to their nearest health centre for commencement of long term therapy or further investigations depending on the medical advice given. The application’s implementation aims to improve access to healthcare, enable early identification of chronic illnesses, and enhance overall health outcomes for people in Africa. These goals align with the concepts of universal health coverage and health systems strengthening by ensuring that preventive services reach even the most vulnerable and remote populations.
Targets and Expected Outcomes
The target set for VakaAfya is to screen at least 50,000 people annually in hard-to-reach areas due to remoteness, conflicts, or natural disasters. By implementing the application, the Vaka Health Foundation aims to improve early detection and management of medical conditions, thus reducing mortality rates associated with late-stage diagnoses. The long-term vision is to build a robust and sustainable healthcare infrastructure that provides comprehensive preventive services across the continent.
Features and Functionalities
VakaAfya offers a range of features and functionalities to support health workers in their screening efforts. The application allows screening for various conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, mental health disorders (dementia and depression), vision impairments, cancers (prostate, breast, cervical, colon), oral health, skin conditions, and metabolic conditions .After screening, a comprehensive health report with findings and recommendations is generated as a PDF and sent to the client via WhatsApp. Additionally, the application includes a providers database to facilitate linking clients with appropriate healthcare providers.
Conclusion
VakaAfya, a mobile and web application system developed by the Vaka Health Foundation, aims to empower Africa’s health workforce to provide preventive health services in remote and underserved areas. By leveraging partnerships and utilizing the application’s features, health workers can screen for chronic medical conditions, provide treatment, and offer health education. The expected benefits include improved access to healthcare, early detection of illnesses, and better health outcomes. By aligning with the principles of universal health coverage and health systems strengthening, VakaAfya contributes to building a healthier Africa for all.