The role of state and non-state actors in the sustenance of Expanded Programme On Immunization (EPI) In Lesotho, Southern Africa

Abstract

This study takes a cognizance of the lingering crisis and politics in governing health sector in sub-Saharan Africa. It articulates the role of the state and civil society groups in primary health provisioning and investigates the issues of 'how' 'what' 'why' questions and 'who' that matters in Lesotho, where 83 percent of the population lives in rural areas. The stuy utilized secondary clinical data at the national level as the basis for analysis, which involved a lengthy desktop analysis of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) clinic data and records. Data sources indicate that Lesotho primary health care system is grassroot oriented in implementation, with very functional community health and voluntary health worker system. Close collaboration was also found to exist between the state organs and the Christian Health Association of Lesotho (CHAL) in the entire health care delivery. The study found some peculiar socio-environmntal factors that impede the progress of the EPI, in spite of cordial relationshipbetween the state and other stakeholders/role players.