Reach

Addressing the unmet health needs of underserved communities through targeted Community Health and Public Health interventions

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), research shows that social determinants can be more important than healthcare or lifestyle choices in influencing health. Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, play, learn, work and age. Underserved communities face their own unique challenges, influenced by these determinants and other disparities. Community and Public Health interventions play a crucial role in promoting preventive measures, such as immunizations, screenings, health education campaigns and health behavior promotion. Lack of early interventions can result in reduced awareness of health risks, higher rates of preventable diseases, the rapid spread of infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics and a greater burden of illness and disability in a community.

Reach seeks to address this through:

• Conducting community-based participatory research to identify and understand the specific health concerns, challenges and priorities of each community

• Designing and implementing tailored health interventions that are effective, contextually relevant and responsive to people’s needs

• Facilitating referrals to essential health services to ensure that the community has access to the necessary resources and medical support

• Advocating for the overall health and well-being of the community through raising awareness and promoting actions that address the underlying social determinants of health

• Fostering partnerships and collaborations with non-profit organizations, humanitarian agencies, local government bodies and community leaders to maximize impact and sustainability

  UN SDG Targets 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.8