Social Determinants of Health
How Amref is working to address the factors that influence good health and well-being.
What are the social determinants of health?
Social determinants of health are the non-medical factors that influence people’s health, from their access to education, to their gender, and their exposure to the impacts of climate change.
How do the social determinants of health affect public health?
When a person seeks out primary healthcare (PHC), they might go to see a doctor, or a nurse. This could be in a health clinic, or it could be in a village outreach run by a community health worker, or over the phone. It is estimated that, at this first point of contact with the health system, 80% of healthcare is provided. Therefore, it is crucial that this is accessible to everyone.
In countries at all levels of income, health and illness follow a social gradient: the lower the socioeconomic position, the worse the health. By addressing the social determinants of health, we can increase primary healthcare access, prevent the spread of disease, and create stronger, more resilient communities in Africa.
How is Amref addressing the social determinants of health?
Addressing the social determinants of health plays a vital part in securing Amref’s strategic goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
In 2024, Amref implemented 179 programmes in 37 countries, directly reaching 19.1 million people. These programmes focussed on strengthening health systems, training health workers, creating the conditions in which good health can thrive, and improving access to vital health services for some of the continent’s most remote and marginalised communities. These communities are the most disadvantaged in the factors that influence their health.
How is Amref’s work making a difference?
Through carefully-designed programmes, strategic partnerships and robust advocacy, we are addressing the core drivers of health inequality. Below are just some examples of our work:
Piwa Maleng
The Piwa Maleng project ('Our Clean Water' in Acholi) combines interventions in water, sanitation and hygiene and sexual health and rights (SRHR) in a region of Uganda with high rates of poverty, sexual violence and early pregnancy. It connects villages to clean water by drilling and repairing boreholes and solar-powered water systems. It trains girls and women so they can make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. And it supports them to develop their own small businesses to ensure their financial stability.
Read more about the Piwa Maleng Project
Sports for Health, Well-Being and Development
Amref’s Sports for Health project addresses poverty, education and skills, and health challenges to meet young people's needs in Dagoretti and Embakasi informal settlements, Nairobi, Kenya. Through sport, it connects young people to health education, information and services, so that they can know their bodies and rights and how to access care. Through training, it empowers young people - particularly young mothers - to build life and career skills to help them generate an income for their financial stability.
Read more about Sports for Health
One Health: The HEAL project
Amref’s Human, Environment, Animal and Livelihoods (HEAL) Project uses a One Health approach, recognising the close connection between the health of communities, the animals they herd and their environment. Public health specialists and veterinarians travel together to remote villages bringing life-saving healthcare to people and the animals they rely on. Community members are trained in environmental health monitoring to collect data that can help predict extreme weather and build community resilience to climate change.
Watch
Amref Health Africa CEO, Dr Githinji Gitahi, discusses the socio-economic developments that are impacting health in Africa.
Find out more
Our 2023 Impact Report has more information about the work we are doing across Africa to address the social determinants of health. Click on the link below to find out more.
Read the report
Donate to support our programmes!
Your donations help to ensure we can continue to run our vital programmes and projects that are addressing the factors that influence people's health - from access to clean water, education to the impacts of climate change.
Images: (banner) Elistina with her 12-year-old granddaughter Flora in Chiwamba village, Malawi (c) Amref Health Africa/David Brazier (1) Piwa Maleng Project - Boy drinking water in Northern Uganda (c) Amref Health Africa/Ambrose Watanda (2)(3) Guyo Gonjaba, a Community Health Assistant, inspects a camel during in Marsabit County (c) Amref Health Africa/Tony Wild (4) Salo Ali, with her baby Gumato, crushes maize grains at her home in Kenya (c) Amref Health Africa/Tony Wild (5) Taki Ni Mali project in Tanzania (c) Amref Health Africa in Tanzania
