ACHEST together with CEHURD engage on Conceptualization of the Readiness to Implement World Bank Global Financing Facility

DkoiZ3sX0AApXSw1DkoiZ3sX0AApXSw1African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) in partnership with Center for Health, Human Rights and Development organized a dissemination meeting on 15th August 2018 at Imperial Royale Hotel to disseminate findings of an exploratory study titled, "Business Unusual?-Conceptualization and Implementation of the World Bank Global Financing Facility (GFF) in Uganda."
A study conducted by CEHURD, the chair of the Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Coalition that ACHEST supports highlighted some of the challenges with the current design of GFF which includes among others; Results Based Financing requires a strong Health System and technical capacity on the part of service providers which are not in place. The selection criteria for the beneficiary facilities based on the RBF concept of good performance could further undermine the poorly performing facilities and limited involvement of CSOs could undermine the monitoring of GFF performance implementation.
The objective of the meeting was to share the final report, discuss recommendations and strategies for addressing the capacity needs, gaps as well as opportunities for engagement in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the GFF project in Uganda following the approval of Uganda's investment case by the World Bank.
meeting brought representatives of the Civil Society coalition on RMNCAH, Development Partners, Ministry of Health, Kampala Capital City Authority, Academia and the media.
Mr. Moses Mulumba, the Executive Director of CEHURD while opening the meeting noted that, “The health system is influenced by statistics generated, but as a country, we do not have enough statistics to influence the health sector.” GFF requires a holistic participation and engagement by all stakeholders. As it is now, certain communities that are supposed to benefit from GFF do not understand it, members need to understand this with no ritualistic expressions to participation, he adds.
Prof. Francis Omaswa the Executive Director of ACHEST while giving his opening remarks stressed about CSO coordination: “International CSOs are amplifying the voices of indigenous CSOs, where are the indigenous CSOs to talk for themselves? If there are partnerships with international CSOs, they should be led by indigenous CSOs. We should build capacity of indigenous CSOs and expand locally driven research which is addressing the needs of the local people, not foreign driven research.”  John Ssengendo, the GFF Project Coordinator at Ministry of Health, Dr. Patrick Kadama of ACHEST, Dr. Daniel Ayen Okello of KCCA and Ms. Phiona Nampugu of Bank Information Center presented at the high-level panel. DSCN9176DSCN9176
While Dr. Patrick Kadama warned that the GFF Results Based Financing has certain shortfalls, especially inflated results if not looked into will cause challenges to the initiative. He then advised that in organizing the smart financing, we are looking at financing high impact interventions, largely it is from the point of SDGs that are pushing for the demand side unlike the MDGs that pushed for supply. We have to organize the health care system to meet the needs of the people.
The meeting agreed that Indigenous CSOs through their own leadership in an organized coalition should apply for the World Bank GFF.