In AKHS's approach to health services, primary health care, health promotion and disease prevention are considered as steps towards improved health status, which must be linked to the availability of high quality medical care.
AKHS's community health programmes are designed to reach vulnerable groups in society, especially child-bearing women and young children, with low-cost, proven medical technologies: immunisation, systematic prenatal care, safe deliveries, and oral rehydration therapy for diarrhoeal disease.
With community health programmes in large geographical areas in Central and South Asia, as well as East Africa and the Middle East, and around 200 health facilities including eight hospitals, the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS) is one of the most comprehensive private not-for-profit health care systems in the developing world. AKHS's overall major initiatives currently include:
- Assisting communities to develop, manage, and sustain the health care they need.
- Providing accessible medical care in modern, efficient, and cost-effective facilities.
- Working in partnership with other agencies in the development of communities and the enhancement of their health.
- Educating physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals.
- Conducting research relevant to environments in which AKHS institutions exist.
- Contributing to the development of national and international health policy.
While taking care not to compromise its social mission, AKHS encourages an entrepreneurial approach by national service companies in all of their operations. All AKHS community health programmes and services have strategies to achieve financial self-sufficiency.
- there is always a user charge, often complemented by other forms of risk pooling and community financing;
- there is increasing awareness that patients and their families are taking the clinical, technological and scientific aspects of health care for granted. Still equally or more meaningful and memorable to them are compassionate interactions, access to information, involvement, a healing physical environment and an approach that supports mind, body and spirit. Therefore, much more attention is being given to patient and family-centred care.
- the user charge is complemented by a welfare programme provision for those unable to afford the (often very small) fee; and
- in appropriate circumstances, cross subsidies are used to support health activities that are not (yet) breaking even.
