Healthcare Systems
Building resilient health systems
Louvain Coopération works to strengthen health systems in order to guarantee equitable access to quality care for all and to improve public health indicators in a sustainable manner.
Healthcare systems encompass all organisations, individuals and actions that aim to promote, protect, restore and maintain health within communities. They include health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, as well as the financing arrangements and governance mechanisms that ensure their effectiveness.
Louvain Coopération adopts an integrated, people-centred approach, supporting accessible, inclusive systems tailored to the needs of populations, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable.
Mutual health insurance, mental health, diabetes, hypertension
Developing resilient health systems requires taking into account a whole range of factors, activities and actors. Our work focuses on several of these factors:
RDC
Our goal: Support the implementation of relevant and effective actions by civil society organisations (CSOs) by facilitating local initiatives in the fields of governance, peace and security, human development and sustainable development.
To achieve this, we work with our local partners to support local CSOs by funding projects in rural and peri-urban areas.
We are developing local support for local CSOs, in particular through a national Local Initiatives Support Office (GAL) and a pool of local consultants.
Burundi
Mental health promotion
- Project name: Projet IZERRE II
- Project duration: 2022-2026
Our goal:
Providing quality healthcare, with a particular focus on access to mental healthcare.
Our actions:
- Integration of mental health into primary care through training for healthcare workers (psychological and medical care).
- Training of mental health support workers within communities to identify cases and refer them to healthcare facilities.
- Awareness campaigns to destigmatise mental health issues.
- Socio-economic reintegration of people suffering from mental health issues through income-generating activities and the creation of community support groups.
- Specific actions for children, particularly in schools (prevention, listening, support) and for women.
- National advocacy to include mental health in public policy.
Our impact:
This project aims to strengthen the integration of mental health into primary healthcare and community life. It reduces stigma, promotes the reintegration of people suffering from mental illness and strengthens local solidarity and resilience dynamics.
RDC
Our goal: Provide quality healthcare, with a particular focus on chronic noncommunicable diseases (diabetes and hypertension) and mental illness.
To achieve this, we work with our local partners to inform and educate communities about diabetes, hypertension and mental health. To support and listen to sufferers, we set up diabetic peer clubs and discussion groups.
We are also working to improve the quality of care, in particular by strengthening healthcare staff through training and local support. A number of healthcare structures are also receiving support in the form of medicines and equipment.
We also work alongside the provincial and local health authorities to supervise and support healthcare facilities.
Finally, we carry out advocacy work to improve the treatment of non-transmissible diseases in the country.
Partners :
- Division Provinciale de la santé Sud/Kivu « DPS S/K »
- Bureau Central de la Zone de santé de Bagira « BCZS/Bagira »
- Programme Katana « PK »
- Centre d’Appui Médico Psychosociale/ACAD « CAMPS »
RDC
Our goal: To help improve the well-being of street children in Kinshasa and Bukavu and enable them to become socially and professionally integrated and reunited with their families in the long term.
To achieve this, we work with our local partners to meet the children's basic needs by offering shelter, food and healthcare to those who need it.
We provide them with psychosocial support from a multi-disciplinary team (psychologists, social workers, etc.) who receive regular training to ensure the quality of their work.
We raise community awareness of children's rights and work to reunite these children with their families whenever possible.
At the same time, we support the socio-professional integration of young people living on the streets by guiding them in their choice of profession and offering them vocational training courses, both long and modular. We organise internships, incubations, apprenticeships with craftsmen and accompany these young people in their professional integration (employment or self-employment).
Partners :
- Lisanga Mpo ya Bokolisa Mboka/Ndako Ya Bbiso « NYB »
- Œuvre de Reclassement et de Protection des Enfants de la Rue « ORPER »
- Don Bosco Maison Papy
- Don Bosco Bukavu