1. THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN
HEALTH.
Yoram Siame
Churches Health Association of Zambia

2. THE WESTERN CHURCH
BROUGHT THREE THINGS TO
AFRICA:
A CHURCH, A SCHOOL AND
WESTERN MEDICINE.

3. THE FBO HEALTH FOOTPRINT IN AFRICA IS UNDENIABLE.
• Africa Christian Health associations from 21 countries representing 26 national
organisations have joined together under the Africa Christian Health
Association’s Platform (ACHAP). ACHAP members provide between 20-50% of
the national health services.
• 30–70% of health care infrastructure across the African continent is owned or
run by FBOs,(2010, WHO)
• The first census in Africa on the not-for-profit health care sector conducted by
Uganda in 2001 showed that 70% of all private not-for-profit health facilities in
Uganda are owned by autonomous diocese and parishes.
• Approximately 40% of the healthcare infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa is
operated by FBOs,
• Faith-based drug supply organizations are fundamental to the provision of
essential medicines to rural and remote areas, particularly when bottlenecks
occur in the management and procurement of government supplies.
• Christian hospitals and health Centre's are providing about 40% of HIV care and
treatment services in Lesotho (WHO 2005).
• Almost A third of the HIV/AIDS treatment facilities in Zambia are run by FBOs
(WHO 2010 study on the role of FBOs in HIV service provision).

4. ROLE OF RELIGION, IN HEALTH
• Health, religion and cultural
norms and values define the
health-seeking strategies of
many Africans.
• The failure of health policy
makers to understand the
overarching influence of
religion - and the important
role of FBOs in Health can
seriously undermine efforts
to scale up health services.

5. THE CHURCHES INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH
• SERVICE PROVISION.
• TACKLING HEALTH DETERMINANTS.
• HUMAN RESOURCE PRODUCTION.
• MEDICINES AND MEDICAL PRODUCTS.
• HEALTHCARE FINANCING.
• INNOVATION AND PIONEERING; HBC,
PERFORMANCE BASED FINANCING, LEPROSY
COLONIES, TELEMEDICINE.
• BREAKING STIGMA (embracing the untouchables)

6. 8. ADVOCACY
8.1 ASKING WHY
– Why are the poor more sick?
– Why isn’t health a priority?
– Why are there two health systems (one for the poor and one for
the rich)?
– Why doesn’t every community count?
– Why are we not doing enough prevention
– Why don’t we strengthen oversight for health?
– Why are health workers so few and stressed.
– Why don’t we have universal health coverage?
– Why do we fail to eliminate diseases that can be eliminated?
8.2 RECOMMENDING BETTER WAYS OF DOING HEALTH.

7. WHY IS THE CHURCH UNDERAPPRECIATED DESPITE DOING SO
MUCH.
• It is shy about publicising its work.
• Many groups tend to focus on shortcomings as
opposed to its strengths.
• Lack of understanding of what the church is.
• Many groups want the church to take up their
cause e.g. abortion, family Planning, Rights of
minorities.
• The Church will only do that which it sees as
compatible with its core mandate To Preach the
Kingdom of God and Heal the Sick Mt 9:2.

8. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Greater coordination and better communication
between organizations of different faiths and the
private and public health sectors.
• FBOs need to be given policy space that they
deserve in Global, regional and national health
discussions.
• Respectful Engagement: FBOs should be
respected as competent and reflective groups
who have the autonomy in deciding what issues
they will take on and how.
• Extend health mapping to include FBOs that
could help in scaling up Health services.