OBJECTIVE: Burkina Faso has been implementing a strategy of community participation in the health system for several years.The main objective of this strategy is to involve people in the decision-making process in order to improve the use of health services and to encourage massive support of communities for health promotion activities. Empirical data indicate a low involvement of communities in activities designed to promote participation. This article aims to identify the perceptions of local people in relation to community participation in health. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Tenkodo go health district, located in the administrative region of East-Center, about 190 km from the capital. This exclusively qualitative study used two data collection methods: individual interviews and focus groups. Data were collected in two health areas. RESULTS: The results show that communities have negative perceptions on the community participation in health strategy,which is perceived by the majority as a mechanism of exploitation of the population by health workers and members of health center management committees. CONCLUSIONS: These negatives perceptions of the participation strategy have a negative impact on the behaviour of communities,reflected by the very low participation rate in community activities.Urgent action is needed to revitalize the existing participation mechanisms.
OBJECTIVE: Burkina Faso has been implementing a strategy of community participation in the health system for several years.The main objective of this strategy is to involve people in the decision-making process in order to improve the use of health services and to encourage massive support of communities for health promotion activities. Empirical data indicate a low involvement of communities in activities designed to promote participation. This article aims to identify the perceptions of local people in relation to community participation in health. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Tenkodo go health district, located in the administrative region of East-Center, about 190 km from the capital. This exclusively qualitative study used two data collection methods: individual interviews and focus groups. Data were collected in two health areas. RESULTS: The results show that communities have negative perceptions on the community participation in health strategy,which is perceived by the majority as a mechanism of exploitation of the population by health workers and members of health center management committees. CONCLUSIONS: These negatives perceptions of the participation strategy have a negative impact on the behaviour of communities,reflected by the very low participation rate in community activities.Urgent action is needed to revitalize the existing participation mechanisms.