Since its inception in 1999, UNHCO has been implementing programmes that advocate for a strong institutionalized platform that is able to articulate voices of consumers of health goods and services. UNHCO has championed the Rights Based Approach (RBA) to healthcare delivery and contributed to efforts to improve community participation and accountability.
The focus is on the most vulnerable persons including women, PwDs, children, and PLWHA.
The strategy is through;
• Raising awareness among health service users, providers and policy makers about health rights and responsibilities.
• Policy research, Advocacy and review processes to address access, equity, quality and accountability.
• Creating synergies with other CSOs, relevant Government departments, development partners and strategic allies and establishing a credible working partnership with the media among others.
• Feedback to promote and improve communication between users and providers by strengthening referral and redress mechanisms and building a partnership for conflict resolution
UNHCO’s program areas include:
• Advocacy, Policy analysis, Research and
development;
• Institutional capacity building;
• Consumer feedback and redress;
• Consumer and provider education and empowerment and
• Civil Society Organizations capacity building and
coordination.
The Patients’ Charter
UNHCO led the development of the Patients’ Charter through mobilizing civil society and other partners. The objective of the patients’ charter is to provide a framework for integrating human rights for promoting health care initiatives
UNHCO’s positions of responsibility
• Represents civil society at Health Policy Advisory
Committee (HPAC) and at the Country Coordinating
Mechanisms (CCM).
• UNHCO is the chair of the Executive Committee of
Voices for Health Rights.
• Board member
• Uganda Health Marketing Group (UHMG).
• Future Health Systems, five-year study by DFID
and School of Public Health.
• Africa Affordable Medicines Franchise
• Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA)
• UNHCO is on the following taskforces
• National Implementation Framework on Newborn Health
• Maternal and Peri-natal death review guidelines
• Sector Budget Working Group
• Public Expenditure and Monitoring under Ministry of
Finance
• Public Private Partnership for Health
• Health Sector Strategic Plan
