Future Health Posts in Remote Areas of Rwanda
In partnership with Active Social Architecture new health posts will be built.
The 2050 Sustainable Development Goal is to provide 1,600 health posts by 2050, compared to just under 500 today.
For a country where access to health centers and district hospitals is not easy, considering road conditions and the means of the population in rural areas, health post coverage can provide access to quality health care closer to rural community members.
In partnership with Active Social Architecture (ASA), Health Builders developed a prototype health post design which is functional, flexible, comfortable, hygienic and cost effective. Our goal is to use the design for future development of health posts in Rwanda. The design is adaptable to different conditions of orientation, topography and program required (package of health care services to be offered) and offered in three different sizes according to the financial capacity, the social context, the needs of the health care services to be offered and the land size.
The Small Size is the most basic; it can be operated by two nurses and provide the minimum needed health care services: Reception, Outpatient Consultations, Dispensary, Laboratory and Storage.
Through an incremental approach, the Medium and Large Sizes models use the Small Size as a base and then add other functions. The Medium Size includes patient observation wards while the Large Size includes additional maternity services.
When it comes to construction, the simplicity of the design and its flexibility allows the use of different construction materials according to the site conditions and the availability in the local market.
In addition, all unskilled labor will be sourced from the local communities and will be trained during the construction. In accordance to our commitment to gender equality, we will ensure that at least 50% of the labor is composed of women.
Health Builders will be active in:
Health post management team support and training
Assistance on Health Services packages
Community engagement assistance
Contacts with the local authorities
The first health post project is underway as of December 2021 in the Rulindo District.
Once it has been completed and in operation for one year, ASA and Health Builders will complete a social impact assessment covering all aspects related to operability, maintenance, design, spaces, and comfort. This step is crucial to incorporate any new learning and improve the design for future implementation.
