Optimising Informal Medical Outreach for Universal Health Coverage and Health System Strengthening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

Background: Access to health services is limited in many parts of the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the health system is weak and often excludes many people living in hard-to-reach areas. Medical outreach (MO) is a means of extending essential health services to such underserved populations. It is one of the tools used in the pursuit of universal health coverage (UHC), which envisions a world where all citizens have access to quality health services whenever they need them, regardless of where they live or their socioeconomic circumstances, without experiencing financial hardship in the process

Objective: This narrative review describes informal medical outreach (IMO), a type of MO, explains the nexus between IMO and the six building blocks of the World Health Organization’s health systems framework, and highlights how its optimal use can expedite the achievement of UHC and strengthen the weak health systems of LMICs.

Findings: IMO has been used for several years to provide essential health services to excluded populations. It is conducted by various organisations for different reasons. Despite its contribution to closing the healthcare coverage gap, its nonintegration with the local or national health system has undermined its impact.

Conclusion: Informal medical outreach remains a useful strategy for delivering essential care to underserved populations. By addressing potential obstacles, its integration with the existing health system using a systems thinking approach can optimise its contribution to the achievement of UHC and a strengthened health system in many LMICs.