Purpose of the Infrastructure Norms and Standards

The purpose of the Infrastructure Norms and Standards is to guide, monitor and enforce the control of critical risks to health and safety of health infrastructure users by means of required systems and relevant supportive structures within all categories of health facilities, in order to provide quality services to the citizens of the country.

Objectives of Norms and Standards for Health Infrastructure

• To provide guidance on the minimum infrastructure that different levels of the health care system require for effective delivery of the KEPH.
• To inform decisions on construction and equipping of new health facilities.
• To inform decisions for rehabilitation or modification of existing health facilities.
• To guide health infrastructure investment decisions at the County and National levels.
• To guide the distribution of health infrastructure.
• To provide a framework for monitoring and evaluation of implementation of these norms and standards.

 Principles for Development of Health Infrastructure Norms And Standards

A well-functioning health infrastructure improves the quality of health services, thereby contributing to better health outcomes. For adequate and comprehensive infrastructure planning and management, an integrated health system approach is needed. This integration is embodied in the following principles:

• The system needs to be defined in terms of different levels/tiers that together make up the entire health care delivery system.
• Health Infrastructure, itself must be integrated into a harmonious whole with other required inputs (especially human resources). This is to avoid mismatches in their development and ensure that health services are delivered efficiently, equitably, and effectively in a sustainable manner.
• Health infrastructure must be fit for intended service.
• Health infrastructure must be compliant with occupational health and safety laws, and environmental norms and standards.
• Health infrastructure must meet the needs of the clients, users and health care personnel.

Universal access

1. All health facilities must adhere to the requirements and principles of Universal Design. This will apply to all buildings, access ways, indoor and outdoor facilities as well as signage, communication and other services.
2. For the purposes of minimum Universal Design requirements must include, but not be limited to, the following:
3. Clear floor area in passages, walkways and points of ingress for people using wheelchairs and other mobility devices and aids
4. Parking for persons with disabilities to be located as close as possible to entrance areas;

• Ramps and handrails with regulated gradients, heights and spacing; Site and identification of health facilities

The following principles apply in respect of the geographic location of new health facilities:

1. a) The location of the health facility should ensure easy accessibility to roads, sewage lines and other basic services.
2. b) Where practicable, a health facility may not be located close to, or adjacent to:
3. Cemeteries
4. Sewage treatment plants;
5. c) The siting of new health facilities should, as far as possible, recognize the need for appropriate topography and location related to access and demographic realities.
6. d) A health facility site must contain a name board which is clearly visible to the public, indicating:
7. The name of the health facility
8. The contact details of the health facility; and

The GPS coordinates from the Master Facility List (MFL) The involvement of individuals, households and communities: -Involvement is expressed in people taking up responsibility for their own health; it provides them with a sense of ownership of all they undertake relating to their health. Such involvement includes individual participation in health activities, as well as collective participation through management of health facilities. The establishment of a functioning health (unit management) committee, constituted of interested and informed community members, is an example of how this collective involvement can take shape.