MAXIMIZING IMPACT THROUGH STRONG HEALTH SYSTEMS

Mali Health also assists in building health infrastructure.  In 2010, we helped construct a clinic in Sikoro to improve geographic access to care for the neighborhood’s thousands of residents.  We later added a wall to provide privacy for patients, and in 2013, we helped to construct a dedicated maternity ward, giving women a safe, private space in which to give birth under the supervision of a health professional.  The Sikoro clinic has been fully integrated into the Malian healthcare system and is run by a local health committee so that, despite our continued collaboration, it operates independently of Mali Health, ensuring its sustainability.

Since our founding, Mali Health has worked at the health systems level to improve not only access to basic healthcare, but the quality of care itself.  Today, we partner with clinics to improve the capacity and quality of the services they provide to the residents of our partner slum communities.

We utilize participatory strategies and our years of experience to identify areas in need of improvement.  With partners that include providers, patients, and management, we set small, achievable goals for improvement, a process in which all stakeholders are involved, enabling continual progress toward a better patient experience. Achievements include:

• Reduced the cost of medical care for children enrolled in our Action for Health program
• Operationalized the prescription process, ensuring patients get the most effective treatments at an affordable price
• Increased transparency, educating patients on what services are available at the clinic and what the standard price is
• Improved bedside manner and patient entry systems, helping clinic staff communicate more clearly and sympathetically with patients, improving the patient experience and encouraging future health-seeking behavior.