Community Health Systems and Demand Creation for RMNCAH Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the heaviest burden of preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, low adolescent contraceptive uptake, and deep rural inequities. Closing these gaps demands more than expanding facility-based services. It requires a decisive shift toward community-led, people-centred systems. The WHO is clear: community health system strengthening and demand creation are not optional; they are central to achieving universal health coverage and primary health care. Amref Health Africa shares this conviction: strong community health systems bring services closer to households, while deliberate demand creation ensures communities actively seek, trust, and sustain them. Together, they are the dual engines of equitable RMNCAH outcomes (Amref Health Africa, 2023).