Earlier in the month, the world commemorated the World Health Day with the theme; My Health my right. In this vein, the 21st episode of Insights Webinar focused on the health rights of underserved communities, highlighting challenges, impacts and recommendations for improved access to quality healthcare. 

Panelists emphasized the need to prioritize the health rights of underserved communities. Considering the dynamics of food production especially in developing countries, people in rural areas constitute the majority of the workforce that feed the nation.   Thus safeguarding the health rights of this category of people makes them even more productive.

Beyond the rights to quality healthcare, safe drinking water, hygienic environment and nutritious food, panelists also raised the importance of the right to information through proper community engagement in both planning and implementation of health interventions.

Major concerns around availability of quality healthcare facilities were raised during the discussion as panelists also decried lack of health experts or medical personnel to manage existing facilities especially in these underserved communities. 

There is also a need for intersectoral collaboration as the issues that affect health cuts across other sectors like Agriculture, environment amongst others. Panelists also called for certain important behavioral changes that impact on the health of citizens. 

The role of technology in promoting health rights in underserved communities was not left out of the discussion as panelists believe that broadband penetration remains key to certain health interventions like Telemedicine, digitization of medical records amongst others. 

Moderator

 Tijesu Ojumu- Communications Coordinator eHA

Panelists

• Dr. Ahmad Hashim : Head of Information Communication Technology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital 

• Dr. Maria Imaobong Ibegu -  Consultant Physician, Bayelsa State Hospitals Management Board 

• ​​Dr. Charles Akataobi Michael - Senior Technical Officer, Africa CDC. Eastern Africa Coordinating Centre. Lead, Eastern Africa Regional Integrated Surveillance and  Laboratory Network, Nairobi Kenya.

• Dr. Whenayon Simeon Ajisegiri-  Research Associate, George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Australia, Nepean Blue Mountain Hospital Australia