3) Promoting Health Sector Management and Governance
The programme aims at empowering community representatives to effectively play their roles and responsibilities in implementation of community health strategy in Kenya. It also focuses on improving participation of civil society organizations in district and national health forums.
Under this programme HERAF as a partner of Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) with support from European Commission is implementing project entitled Strengthening Community Participation in Health Sector Management and Governance in Kenya.
2) Evidence-based advocacy for reforms in health policies
HERAF provides forums to health care workers and civil society organisations to government officers, policy makers, development partners and other stakeholders in the development national health policies, guidelines and strategic plans. Efforts have been stepped up to advocate to the government to implement the Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan 2007/08 – 2009/10. There is anticipation that the government will put in place a Health Service Commission, to take charge of the human resources issues while the Ministry of Health concentrates with policy and regulation matters.
a) Advocacy against negative gender-based perceptions and attitudes
HERAF with support from Stop AIDS Now! Gender Development Project (GDP) is working towards transforming gender-based perceptions and attitudes that lead to violence against women and make them vulnerable to HIV&AIDS infection at the community levels.
b) Promoting workplace HIV and AIDS policies
HERAF facilitates the development and implementation of HIV&AIDS workplace policies.
As a member of the Kenya National Campaigners on universal access HERAF holds leaders accountable for commitments to ensure universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.
d) The stop stock outs campaign
In this campaign HERAF joins hands with other stakeholders to ensure that all Kenyans enjoy the right to health by being able to access essential medicines from public health facilities. The campaign calls on the government to ensure that all the public health facilities are stocked with essential medicines as required by the World Health Organization.
e) The Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008 Campaign
This campaign is based on premise that there is a likelihood that the Act’s interpretation could confuse generic drugs with counterfeit which means that access to medicines, and especially Anti-retroviral would be negatively affected. HERAF is in solidarity with PLWHA and other civil society organizations that have filed a petition in the High Court of Kenya to seek for constitutional interpretation of the Act. A ruling has been delivered by High Court Judge stopping the government from implementing the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008 with respect to generic medicines, until a case filed in July 2009 by three people living with HIV is heard and determined.
4) Enhancing an efficient health care financing system
The programme’s main purpose is to promote participation of health workers and the civil society in budget making processes, analysis and expenditure monitoring and tracking in Kenya. It achieves this by creating awareness and educating the civil society about health sector budget making processes, especially the District Health Plans and Annual Operational Plans and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). The programme also advocates for transparency and accountability in planning, allocation and management of resources allocated to the health sector including the newly introduced Health Sector Service Fund (HSSF) channelled to health facilities.
Some of the initiatives that HERAF engages on include:
a) Providing leadership to civil society organizations consultation forums on health sector budgets in making recommendations to Ministry of Finance for Considerations in the budget.
b) Debt2Health Campaign which aims at freeing up domestic resources through debt relief that can then be invested in urgent public health needs, such as the fight against HIV&AIDS, TB and malaria.
c) The 15% Campaign to demand that the Kenya government fulfil the 2001 Abuja Declaration pledge to allocate 15% of the annual budget into the health sector.
In this programme HERAF provides accurate and up to date information on the right to health and other related economic, social and cultural rights. The programme enables health care workers and civil society organizations to understand and acknowledge health is a human right issue; and that health related issues including HIV&AIDS need to be addressed from a rights based perspective.
HERAF with financial support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through Physicians for Human Rights USA, creates awareness, educates health professionals, civil society organisations and other stakeholders that stigma and discrimination both in health care settings and among the public is human rights violations and should be reduced.
The programme with financial support from Akiba Uhaki Foundation is strengthening the capacity of health care workers to promote the fundamental right to health for sexual minorities in Kenya.
