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Health innovations

How inclusive business models are making health accessible for all

Health for All

Health is a prerequisite for any kind of development. No matter whether humans, animals or plants: Those who are sick cannot develop their full potential. Unfortunately, not only do millions of people today still lack access to basic medicines and quality health services, but our entire planetary system is sick.

The importance of health is undisputed in all cultures and countries, and yet we are unable to provide adequate health services and medicines to those who need them most. In addition, the last 2.5 years with Covid-19 have shown us in unprecedented ways how health status can impact global supply chains and the world economy as a whole.

Forty-four years ago, at the World Health Conference in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Member States defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity; health is a fundamental human right; and the attainment of the highest attainable standard of health is a major global social goal, the achievement of which requires action by many other social and economic sectors in addition to the health sector.”

By the year 2000, everyone should have had access to basic primary health care. "Health for all by the year 2000" was the catchy jingle in Alma Ata in 1978. Twenty-two years after the target year, we know that this has still not been achieved. The reasons for this are many. Without being a public health expert, one reason in particular stands out to me: The burden of achieving health for all has rested solely on the health sector. The responsibility for transforming the health system with better, available and affordable health services and medicines rested entirely on the shoulders of the public health sector.  Based on the WHO definition (see above), it was indeed clear that the support and contribution of other sectors were needed if "health for all" was to become a reality. But, as is often the case, there has been a failure to collaborate across sectors and move out of the silos in which we are all accustomed to working. Today, one of the targets of the SDGs is achieving universal health coverage. One can just hope that this time the silos are opened and other sectors become actively engaged as well.
 
I had the privilege of starting my career in international development cooperation in the health sector in the Philippines more than 25 years ago. One of the challenges we faced was improving access to health services and to affordable medicines for the poor. To this end, we developed, among other things, a revolving fund for the purchase of essential generic medicines, established a local foundation to manage the fund, and provided a standard package of services and basic medicines for small health stations throughout the country. Later, this approach came to be called social franchising. What was new at the time was that we developed it jointly with the national Ministry of Health but put it in the hands of a private entity. We believed that the private sector could do more to achieve better access to affordable health services and medicines and could manage it better in the long run. 

In this issue of CLUED-iN, you will find a number of examples of companies that are involved in the health sector and helping to make "health for all" a reality, rather than taking another 44 years. For example, there is an Indian platform that provides access to more affordable medicines. By buying in bulk, they get the drugs at a lower price and can reduce the cost of patients' medicines by 50 per cent. It's a similar approach to the one we took in the Philippines 25 years ago, but this time digital platforms are being used to reach patients, distribute the medicines, raise awareness, and contribute to health education. Another innovative approach is the “Health Games” developed in Kenya. From Ghana, we have information about an interesting health insurance scheme developed through a public-private partnership (SAGABI)

Health, which the WHO defines as more than the absence of disease, requires multi-sectoral approaches. Companies with an inclusive business model that puts the poor at the centre have enormous potential to contribute to the goal of "Health for All." Therefore, such companies need more support to scale up, as their business models directly contribute to improving human life. With the interviews in this issue of CLUED-iN we get a glimpse of some of the innovative ways forward in the health sector.
 

Christian Jahn
Christian is heading the iBAN secretariat and is responsible for the management of the global programme. Before Christian became the Executive Director of the Inclusive Business Action Network (iBAN) in September 2015, he was based for five years in Addis Ababa as Deputy Country Director of GIZ GmbH overseeing a broad portfolio including the private-public-partnership programmes. He has more than 20 years of experience in international development cooperation with a thematic focus on health systems, population dynamics and social franchise systems. He worked mainly in the Africa and Asia region as long-term and short-term expert and provided advisory services to the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. He also worked for five years in the private sector and was an entrepreneur and founder of a company in the food sector. Christian holds a Master degree and PhD in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin.

featured story

Health innovations: Making health accessible for all

Health has been top of mind for most people around the globe during the last two years, as the Covid-19 pandemic upended daily life and critical systems. Beyond Covid-19, the world is facing a number of health crises exacerbated by poverty, including malnutrition and chronic diseases. In many places, people cannot afford nutritious food for their children or the medicines they need. How can businesses innovate to make health more accessible and inclusive? In this issue, we profile entrepreneurs who are changing the game by providing affordability, choice and healthcare solutions for underserved populations.

Alexandra Harris

Table of contents

graphic summary

GRAPHIC SUMMARY

Learn more about health innovations by reading this twenty-second edition of the online magazine on Inclusive Business! The illustration was developed by Christopher Malapitan, a visual practitioner and trainer based in Brussels. Through the use…

Christopher Malapitan

editorial

Health for All

In his editorial, Christian Jahn discusses why health requires multi-sectoral approaches and how companies with an inclusive business model have enormous potential to contribute to the goal of “health for all.”

Christian Jahn

feature story

Health innovations: Making health accessible for all

Health has been top of mind for most people around the globe during the last two years, as the Covid-19 pandemic upended daily life and critical systems. Beyond Covid-19, the world is facing a number of health crises exacerbated by poverty, including malnutrition and chronic diseases. In many places, people cannot afford nutritious food for their children or the medicines they need. How can businesses innovate to make health more accessible and inclusive? In this issue, we profile entrepreneurs who are changing the game by providing affordability, choice and healthcare solutions for underserved populations.

Alexandra Harris

Health insurance for the underserved: Experiences from a public-private partnership in Ghana

The SAGABI partnership between GIZ, Allianz, and BIMA uses mobile channels to increase access to insurance and health services in Ghana. Matthias Range of GIZ shares experiences and lessons learned.

Providing accessible and affordable medicines in India

Amit Choudhary explains how the online pharmacy he founded, Dawaa Dost, taps into local grocery stores in India to provide affordable generic medicines, while also increasing awareness to improve medicine adherence.

Building a “control tower” to support patient needs in Colombia

Recognizing the need for continuity of patient care, Mateo Gómez elaborates how Omnivida’s care model relies on data and Omnivida “Angels” who accompany patients on their health journey.

Pioneering plant-based alternatives provide healthy options in Nigeria

VeggieVictory co-founder Hakeem Jimo tells us more about his pioneering work to develop the first plant-based meat alternative in Nigeria to support healthier lifestyles.

The lab of tomorrow addresses lack of chronic disease prevention in Kenya

More than 40 per cent of all hospital deaths in Kenya are due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and cancer. Lisa Sophia Zoder describes how online Health Games, supported by the lab of tomorrow, raise awareness and knowledge on NCDs using an engaging format.