ACHEST hosts African Consultation on Stewardship and Governance of Health Systems 16 – 17 December 2009, Kampala. As part of the finalization of a year -long study conducted by the Executive Director of the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation ( ACHEST), Prof. Francis Omaswa and the President of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, on the need and feasibility of providing sustained support to Ministers of Health in Middle and Low income countries, ACHEST hosted a consultative meeting with representatives of 17 African Health Institutions to review the results and recommendations of this survey and to learn from the experience of the participating institutions. The study seeks to establish a sustained program to support Ministers of Health and ministerial teams in countries to play a stronger role in the stewardship and governance of health systems in their respective countries. The two-day meeting was opened by Prof. Omaswa and closed by the Minister of Health of Uganda Hon Dr Stephen Mallinga who praised the initiative saying it will go a long way in strengthening the ministries of health and enable them deliver services effectively.
 President of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford speaking at the conference in kampala The study report , Strong Ministries for Strong Health Systems , was presented and discussed by Dr Boufford and Professor Omaswa. There were also presentations from several health networks and institutions from across Africa on how they work with ministries of health (see attendance list and meeting agenda bellow). Outcome of the African Consultation - Strengthening of stewardship and governance roles and capacities of Ministers of Health and Ministries of Health is a good idea and should be taken forward
- This can be achieved by different Health Resource Partner Institutions (HRPIs) working together, where the process is led by and owned by ministries of health
- HRPIs will contribute in different ways including monitoring, advisory, social mobilization, policy analysis, training, research, and resource mobilization
- A regional mechanism will be built to coordinate and harness the support of HRPIs for strengthening ministries of health. Some strategies to be supported will include:
o Working with existing institutions o Promoting genuine dialogue with colleagues o Securing political will and imparting political skills o Organize dialogue to gain common understanding o Supporting ex-ministers to become mentors o Organize peer learning o Create an African Peer Review Mechanism for Health - ACHEST was mandated to be the prime mover for the creation of an Africa-wide mechanism to coordinate and harness support from HRPIs to strengthening stewardship and leadership functions of ministries of health
- ACHEST will map out up to 5 countries to assess needs and to take the inventory of HRPIs. The selection of countries will ensure geographical spread and where political will for this support is high and where success is likely to be achieved.
Way forward: - ACHEST to select up to 5 countries to map out HRPIs and to assess the health system stewardship and governance needs of the countries
- ACHEST to present the exploratory study report and the outcomes of the Kampala meeting to ECSA, SADC, ECOWAS and other regional forums.
- ACHEST to develop a program of work for strengthening stewardship and governance by mid 2010
- ACHEST to mobilize resources to roll out the program
- The program to be launched by mid 2010.
List of participants; African Health Systems Governance Network Consultation. Kampala, December 16 - 17- 2009 | | Name | Organization | | 1 | Adetokunbo O. Lucas | Harvard university | | 2 | Atim Chris | Chairperson, Africa Health Economics and Policy Association / World Bank | | 3 | Avocksouma Djona | Former Minister of Health in Chad | | 4 | Boufford Jo Ivey | President New York Academy of Medicine | | 5 | Buslulwa Ivan | Head, Health Initiatives for the Private Sector /USAID | | 6 | Chemundo Blessing | Chairperson, South and East African Parliamentary committees of health | | 7 | Dwyer Joseph | Management Science for Health | | 8 | Goekint Koen | Belgian Technical Co-operation, Uganda | | 9 | Kayongo Issac | Makerere University Business School, Uganda | | 10 | Kirya George | Chairperson, Health Service Commission, Uganda | | 11 | Kyabaggu J. Herman | Chairperson, Uganda National Association of Community Based Health Organisations | | 12 | Lebogang Lebesse | Technical Adviser Health, South African Development Community. | | 13 | Lola Dare | Executive Secretary, CHESTRAD/ACOSHED | | 14 | Lugina Hellen | Executive Secretary, East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community | | 15 | Stephen Mallinga | Minister of Health, Uganda | | 16 | Manu Franklin | Principal, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration | | 17 | Muhirwe Lorna | Executive Secretary, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau | | 18 | Mwebesa Henry | Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Uganda | | 19 | Namuddu K | Rockefeller Foundation, Nairobi | | 20 | Okuonzi Sam | African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation, Uganda | | 21 | Oluwamayowa Joel | Program co-ordinator, African Public Health Rights Alliance, Nigeria | | 22 | Omaswa Francis | Executive Director, African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation | | 23 | Runumi Francis | Commissioner for Planning Ministry of Health, Uganda | | 24 | Sanders David | Dean, University of Western Cape , South Africa | | 25 | Serwadda David | Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health | | 26 | Smalley Micheal | Director General , AMREF, Nairobi | | 27 | Sundberg Emma | Swedish Embassy, Kampala/ SIDA | | 28 | Were K Miriam | Former chairperson, AMREF Board / UZIMA Foundation, Kenya | | 29 | Muhwezi Ben | Action Aid, Uganda | | 30 | Cheikh Mbacke | Board chairman Council on health Research for Development, Dakar, Senegal |
 Participants at the stakeholders consultative meeting group photo
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