Sustainable Financing for Expanding Quality Healthcare in Africa Workshop.
Health Finance and Governance(HCG) a project of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) held an organizational workshop in Kampala, Uganda from 13 – 18 May 2018.The workshop brought together private sector in a panel discussion on ‘Sustainable Financing for Expanding Quality Healthcare in Africa Workshop.
This workshop was a platform for mission staff, to enhance their knowledge in health financing and to exchange experiences across missions to design future assistance, to countries for attaining sustainable universal health coverage with reduced donor dependency. HCG project supports it’s partners in low and middle income countries to strengthen the health finance and governance functions of their health systems and access to life saving health services.
Dr. Amit Thakker- Chairman, Kenya Healthcare Federation, presented on public private dialogue experiences in the continent and the role of each stakeholder to enhance such dialogues. The presentation touched on the Ministerial Stakeholder Forum in Kenya as an example of an important mechanism to improve public private dialogue through the voice of the Kenya Healthcare Federation. The presentation was followed by interactive discussions on how donors such as USAID can support and facilitate efforts of the private sector to strengthen health systems in Africa.
John Mackay – USAID, Rwanda, presented on private sector engagement in Rwanda. From his analysis, there are 45,000 Community Health Volunteers that are not paid, 94% of births takes place in health centers and 64% of total health expenditure in Rwanda comes from Donors.
He emphasized that there is a need to engage the private sector especially to have avenues of organized engagement for processes of consultation and system building. “Global Development Alliance (GDA) will support a unique public private partnership at health posts.” John Mackay
Indicators show that Uganda is very donor dependent where aid funding primarily focuses on the public sector. Regulation is out of date and difficult to implement access to financing
“There is need to be transparent and have open communication between the ministry of health (MoH) and private sector but MOH leadership is key in this. People do not realize that the private sector plays an important role in helping the poor – this perception needs to change. However, Donors can play a brokering role between the public and private sector.” Andrew Kyambadde – Uganda.
Ricardo Missihoum from Benin presented his analysis in that 65% of health services are in the private sector and 60% of health products are distribute by the informal sector in Benin.
“There should be emphasis on grouping private sector and capacity building for better engagement with donors and government and there is an impetus to support private healthcare federations in their aspirations to strengthen health systems in a sustainable way. However, Donors play an important role to play in the consolidation of the private sector because we understand the government and donor systems.” Ricardo Missihoun – Benin.
The workshop was very productive and eye opening in implementing Sustainable Financing for Expanding Quality Healthcare in Africa.