Community Leadership for Health Service Provisions in Yemen

Starting in 2022, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) signed a cooperative agreement to fund the Yemen Emergency and Multi-Sectoral Lifesaving Interventions (YEMLI) project in Yemen. This project aimed to provide life-saving interventions to address dire health conditions and alleviate underlying food security issues in crisis-affected communities of the country. Covering three governorates in the south (Abyan, Lahy, Al-Dhale'e) and two governorates in the north (Al Jawf, Marib), ADRA has been supporting targeted health facilities (HFs) to provide the minimum service package (MSP) which covers essential primary health care (PHC) services including reproductive health (RH), newborn health, child health, non-communicable diseases (NCD), and general consultations. The healthcare system in Yemen is plagued with numerous challenges, exacerbated by ongoing conflict. ADRA' s BHA-funded YEMLI project plays a pivotal role in five out of 23 governorates of Yemen in addressing these challenges, particularly through community engagement, which contributes significantly to the sustainability of service provisions at the local-level HFs and communities. Recognizing the importance of such engagement, we observed its impact firsthand through the collaborative efforts of healthcare workers (HCWs) and community groups in establishing laboratory services at the health unit level, a component not included in Yemen's MSP. The project has also played a vital role in supporting this community participation by facilitating the setup of laboratories in six health units which have delivered more tailored and effective services, leading to improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction.