Community engagement for quality health services

Putting people and communities at the heart of health and well-being

The health and well-being of individuals are deeply rooted in the communities in which they are born, grow, live, work, play, age and die.  These connections lie at the core of integrated health services and person-centred care – spanning every stage of life and across generations.

Governments have long recognized the importance of engaging communities across sectors to deliver services that extend well beyond health care. The COVID-19 pandemic brought this need into sharper focus, exposing vulnerabilities and highlighting the urgent need for systems that work with people, not merely for them.

While “community” and “community engagement” are familiar concepts, redesigning health services and systems that truly partner with people remains an essential, yet challenging goal. In today’s post-pandemic and rapidly changing world, this approach is becoming increasingly important.

To address this, a policy report has been developed, revisiting foundational concepts of community and examining how a better understanding of the relational nature of community engagement can improve quality of health care, as well as health system performance. This report draws from a wide range of disciplines, emphasizing the importance of social connections throughout life—starting in childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood. It also highlights the need to incorporate lived experiences as vital data for achieving universal health coverage.

Developed for policy-makers and health service and programme managers who are responsible for designing and delivering health services across the life-course, at varying levels of national and local health systems, the report offers actionable guidance and scientific evidence to reshape health systems. It underscores the power of leveraging the interconnected networks of teams that vertically and horizontally span different levels of health systems to improve system performance and health outcomes.

Key takeaway

Lasting change happens when people drive their own transformation. Achieving this requires a cultural shift in health care — bringing about change that fosters trust and cultivates relationships that emphasize co-production.

Discover how investing in community engagement can contribute to quality health services and a healthier, more inclusive future for all.

Asiya Odugleh-Kolev
Technical Officer, Community & Social Interventions
oduglehkoleva@who.int