With Green Prescriptions, Getting Healthier Is a Walk in the Park

As appointments with general practitioners (GP) are often short and hard to get, community link workers have the time and resources necessary to support those in need of care for non-medical issues, like energy management, mood stabilizing and mental health concerns. Appointments with link workers can last up to an hour, versus the average 10 minutes with a GP, and provide comprehensive care that can be followed up on by a GP if any clinical attention is needed.

RestoringVision addresses the global shortage of reading glasses by tackling supply and demand challenges. On the demand side, they partner with local NGOs and governments to provide vision screenings and free initial glasses, particularly for those in regions who either don’t know reading glasses are an option or don’t realize they’re losing their vision. On the supply side, they work to build retail networks and educate employers about productivity benefits, as workers receiving glasses show productivity increases up to 32%.

The Nguvu Collective advocates for patients’ rights and the establishment of committees that help educate and protect patients in healthcare settings to prevent misdiagnosis and malpractice. Since 2022, the campaign has reached over 8,000 people, advocated for protections from the local government, published materials to spread patients’ rights education to underserved communities and taught healthcare workers how to be more mindful when providing care.

The Saving Mothers, Giving Life project aims to improve access to and the quality of maternal and infant healthcare to reduce maternal and newborn deaths. The project established a Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response team and launched an interactive digital chat solution on WhatsApp to get important health information to pregnant women. Through these efforts, maternal and perinatal deaths in 25 private health facilities decreased by 60% and 16%, respectively.

Some medical professionals and companies like Genemarkers are using pharmacogenomic testing (PGx) to test a patient’s genetic makeup to see how they may metabolize certain drugs. This process has been around for years but is starting to pick up speed in the mental health care scene to allow doctors to prescribe medications with greater accuracy.

New legislation in Colorado will implement statewide mental health screenings, expanding existing programs in schools and health centers. For example, Glenwood Springs High School has had a screening program in place since 2020. The school's health center provides care ranging from dental exams to counseling and served over 2,500 students last year.

Dental offices like Asian Health Services are starting to incorporate mental health care in their dental services. By observing changes in oral health, building trust with patients to talk about their mental health and having them fill out questionnaires about how they’ve been feeling, dentists are able to identify patients that may be struggling and then help connect them with therapy and treatment. Asian Health Services screens 300 to 400 patients per year, about 7% of which are then referred to counseling.

The Boresha afya ya mama na mtoto (improve the health of mother and child) program works to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates by connecting mothers with community health volunteers. These volunteers provide important education on topics like antenatal care and also help to increase access to immunization services. When the group formed in 2018, 531 women died during childbirth or pregnancy, but as of 2023, that number has dropped to 344 thanks to the program’s initiatives.

In 2004 the federal government established the national health insurance scheme to increase access to healthcare and make it more affordable. The health insurance scheme provides access to medications, doctor visits and high-quality maternal and child care. In an effort to get more people signed up for the health insurance scheme, local government and other organizations are working to reach people through mediums like social media and local radio programs to educate them about the benefits of joining the scheme.

Care Ring, in collaboration with other organizations like the University of North Carolina School of Nursing, launched The Bridge, a community-based healthcare initiative that aims to make preventive care easier to access. The Bridge features a mobile care unit that provides free health screenings, counseling support and connections to community resources. Since December 2022, The Bridge has provided care to more than 100 people, 39% of which didn’t have a regular doctor.