National Organization of Peer Educators (NOPE) is advocating for a policy that will compel government to allocate public health emergency fund in Kenya arguing that the fund will help in rapid response to epidemics and pandemics and ensure that they are managed effectively.
Speaking at Media Advocacy Training workshop focused on Epidemic Preparedness in Kenya attended by health and science journalists in Nairobi, NOPE Communications Officer, Winnie Arumba, said that epidemics happen in Africa region including frequent infectious diseases outbreaks but many a times we are caught unprepared and ill equipped to manage the epidemics effectively.
โAllocating resources to epidemic preparedness is an investment in nation’s health security,โ she said adding that, โwe should prioritize Epidemic Preparedness through strategic planning and resource allocations, by investing in healthcare infrastructures and fostering National collaboration as pathway to safeguard Public Health care, we can ensure a resilient response to future epidemics.โ
NOPE is piloting โUtayari Projectโ in Nairobi, Narok and Kericho Counties in partnership with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).
Utayari is a health financing advocacy project that is working with the three counties and the National government to ensure that Epidemic Preparedness is included in budgets. Potential epidemics include Covid-19, Anthrax, Cholera and Rabies among others. Objectives is to make the government fund epidemics so that we are prepared when the epidemics strike.
As part of the Utayari project NOPE also aims at building capacity of health and science journalists on Epidemic Preparedness and reporting to ensure effective communication and collaboration during times of crisis.
โThe media training session aims to equip journalists with the necessary information, skills and strategies to leverage media platforms for advocating and raising awareness about epidemic preparedness,โ she said adding that,โ In light of recent global events, the role of effective media advocacy in promoting public health and preparedness has never been more crucial.”
NOPE says that countries with public health emergency fund have seen significant improvements in managing health crisis.
According to NOPE, public health emergency fund is a reserved pool of money set aside to be used during health crisis such as diseases outbreaks and pandemics.
โThe fund ensures that immediate and effective action is taken when an epidemic strikes without the usual delays in mobilizing for funding to manage the crisis.โ
