February 2024 — The annual International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) is organised by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and provides a unique African-led platform for leaders across the continent to reflect on lessons learned in health and science, and align on a way forward for creating more resilient health systems. CPHIA 2023 was hosted by the Zambian Ministry of Health and took place from 27-30 November in Lusaka, Zambia, under the theme “Breaking Barriers: Repositioning Africa in the Global Health Architecture”. Building on the previous year’s convenings, CPHIA 2023 showcased how the continent is breaking down barriers, reaffirming Africa as a powerhouse in science and innovation, a generator of new knowledge and health products, and an exemplar of progress.

UNICEF ESARO SBC hosted two official side events during CPHIA 2023 to promote evidence-based approaches for achieving SBC for health. The side events focus on improving the experience of care through inter-personal communication and applications of Human Centred Design (HCD) for tailored approaches to health.

Enhancing Experience of Care and Building Trust through Inter-Personal Communications

Interpersonal Communication (IPC) plays a vital role in the healthcare sector, both for public health institutions and the workforce. A skilled service provider not only identifies barriers to behavior and social change but also becomes a catalyst for bringing about this change. Service providers with strong IPC skills are better equipped to establish trusted relationships with individuals and families, engaging and mobilizing communities to take responsibility for their well-being through positive practices. By utilizing IPC approaches like motivational interviewing, there can be an increase in the uptake of vaccines and a reduction in hesitancy. Furthermore, reinforcing these relationships through improved IPC can enhance confidence in the overall health system and increase its resilience.

The interactive virtual side event hosted by UNICEF ESARO and New York HQ, based on the Integrated Interpersonal Communication Package, aligns with Africa CDC's vision of a New Public Health Order by strengthening public health institutions and the health workforce. The event shared the latest evidence on the importance of client-provider relations and emphasized the need to incorporate IPC skills-building into pre-service and in-service health training and performance evaluations. The presenters made the case for why IPC is an essential component of comprehensive support and capacity building for front-line workers.

The event also highlighted the various aspects of effective IPC skills and their contribution to sustainable social and behavior change, ultimately enhancing the quality of care and the patient's experience. Participants agreed that the IPC Package serves as a solid foundation for integrating IPC into quality-of-care initiatives. The successful implementation of the Package in Malawi was seen as a valuable model for other countries to follow. The country participants were assured of UNICEF's technical support from both regional and global levels moving forward.

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Access the presentations: Enhancing Experience of Care and Building Trust through IPC | IPC training- UNICEF Malawi

Improving the Journey to Health and Immunization: a practical workshop for human-centered design

Vaccination saves millions of lives and promotes healthier, better-educated and more prosperous communities. However, under-vaccinated populations (including health workers) exist for a range of reasons: there may be geographic, social, socio-economic or political factors or other barriers that hinder vaccination. Systematically addressing these barriers, and leveraging the enabling factors, requires an understanding of individuals’ Journey to Health and Immunization. 

The side event corresponded to Africa CDC’s vision of a New Public Health Order by strengthening 1) public health institutions and 2) workforce and 3) respectful and action-oriented partnerships. The workshop emphasized the need for a human-centered approach to immunization services and primary health more broadly. During the interactive two-hour workshop, participants engaged in role-playing different characters moving along the Journey to Health and Immunization to demonstrate how supply and demand factors are interconnected and influence each other. The participants enacted barriers and drivers along the journey such as, mothers organizing transportation to the health facility, or health workers overcoming staff shortages and various personal and work-related demands. At each stage of the journey, UNICEF colleagues facilitating the session outlined key actions that can be taken to overcome barriers or leverage drivers for achieving universal health coverage. These actions were illustrated using examples from implementation experiences.