SafeCare
MLC VANGUARD | Created by PharmAccess Group
SafeCare is a stepwise approach for improving the quality healthcare delivered at primary healthcare facilities in resource-restricted settings. Using international clinical standards, SafeCare tracks, acknowledges and certifies healthcare quality improvement, thus improving care provision and contributing to better health outcomes for patients.
2,500,000 Lives Impacted
Over 4,000 healthcare clinics have used SafeCare across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Almost 900 expert SafeCare assessors have been trained, conducting 6,600 quality assessments. 82% of all SafeCare clinics have improved their quality of care, which has a positive impact on their patients, while improving staff safety, contributing to clinic growth and strengthening the health system.
Between initial and follow-up assessments, clinics show overall improvement in areas of: Mother and Child (+15%), Staff training (+13%), Business Performance (+9%), Infection Prevention (+8%), HIV & TB & Malaria (+6%) and Stock Management (+5%). The direct beneficiaries are patients who receive improved quality of care, which contributes to better health outcomes. Over 5.6 million monthly patient visits occur at clinics that have used SafeCare, with 60% being women and children. Assuming 10% are recurring patients and taking 82% (proportion that improves quality of care), we estimate that 4 million patients benefit from SafeCare each month. Based on World Bank estimates for SSA, we assume that about 85% of these patients (3.4 million) earn under $5.5 per day.
The Innovation
Poor healthcare quality is a barrier to universal health coverage (UHC) and causes 5.7 to 8.4 million deaths annually in low and middle-income countries (WHO). In Sub-Saharan Africa, a key factor has been the shortage of objective standards and data on care quality. Due to weak enforcement of quality regulations, health systems are characterized by low trust, under investment and poor quality.
In 2011, PharmAccess (NGO) and partners aimed to address this with “SafeCare”- a practical methodology that measures, guides and certifies quality improvement for healthcare providers in a stepwise manner. The SafeCare Standards are international (ISQua/IEEA accredited) clinical standards, tailored for resource restricted settings. The Standards comprise of measurable indicators which are used to assess health facilities and rate them to one of five quality levels (from level 1 to 5). SafeCare covers the full range of clinical and business quality, undercovering gaps and supporting improvement through technical support, interactive technology and tailored quality improvement plans. The Medical Credit Fund also allows clinics to access loans needed to invest in quality and grow their business.
About PharmAccess Group
The PharmAccess Group is an international NGO dedicated to strengthening health markets in sub-Saharan Africa. We work towards Universal Health Coverage by mobilizing private and public resources, improving service quality, and reaching excluded people with financing for care.
Our SafeCare program has supported 4,000 healthcare providers with quality improvement and our Medical Credit Fund has reached 1,800 health facilities with loans worth over USD 129 million. Our inclusive mobile health platform connects four million people to care, and our Health Insurance Fund supports countries to promote basic health insurance plans to protect people from financial hardships.
Founded in 2001, PharmAccess has over 200 employees across offices in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and The Netherlands.
Implemented in
SafeCare has been implemented in over 4,000 primary healthcare clinics in 14 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The majority of clinics are in the PharmAccess focus countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania.
The other countries include Uganda, Malawi, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierre Leone, The Gambia.
The program is also on the brink of expanding to countries in Asia, starting with India.
