Leadership and Governance
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| Source: PHRplus |
USAID works to rationalize national health systems so that the Ministry of Health operates with oversight and accountability as the steward of the system, while citizens, civil society, and the private sector provide input and assume new roles and responsibilities in the policy and decisionmaking process. Effective governance depends on effective leadership, strategic decisionmaking, and sound management from all parties.
At the global level, USAID is playing an important role in further refining the important concepts of governance in health and clarifying programming options for country implementation. At the country level, USAID is working with citizens and oversight entities inside and outside of government to enhance their capacity to exercise voice and accountability. These practices go hand-in-hand with strengthening the MOH and other health sector actors: the supply side of governance improvement.
In Mozambique, USAID has strengthened the capacity of the National AIDS Council and Global Fund Coordinating Mechanism to be better stewards and financial managers of funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. In more than one-third of Rwanda’s districts, USAID supports Quality Assurance Partnerships Committees, which foster joint accountability over the quality of health services among local government, health providers, civil society, and the community.
USAID continues to improve the availability of information needed for evidence-based decisionmaking. The Health Systems Database benchmarks health system performance for developing countries.
Leadership and Governance-Related Projects at USAID:
Health financing and governance converge to promote financial access to health services in Kenya
NHA findings for 2002 revealed that households in Kenya financed 51 percent of total health expenditures. Galvanized by this evidence, the government responded with policy reforms to reduce the burden on households. NHA findings for 2006 showed remarkable progress, with household financing reduced to 36 percent, even as total health expenditures per capita increased slightly from $23 to $27. Honorable Minister Pro Anyang’ Nyong’o, minister for Kenya Medical Services, noted that although household expenditures on health services in Kenya have declined, the current levels continue to present a barrier to poor households. He also committed to “…rais[ing] this issue with the government to ensure that more resources are allocated to the health sector.” |
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