WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 17, 2017 — Results for Development (R4D) today announced it will serve as the coordinator of the African Collaborative for Health Financing Solutions (ACS), a new 5-year project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The project, which launched this month, works at both the country and regional level to advance universal health coverage (UHC) in sub-Saharan Africa. ACS partners include Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center and Feed the Children.
Many countries struggle to translate health financing evidence into actionable policy decisions and progress. Greater involvement of stakeholders such as civil society, the private sector, and Ministries of Finance is essential to improve implementation and accountability. To that end, ACS will find synergies with existing health financing initiatives to build country skills in facilitation, learning processes, communication and accountability that will help evidence-based technical solutions gain traction.
“Building on the strong political commitment and resources already available in many countries, the African Collaborative for Health Financing Solutions will bring a diverse set of actors to the table to figure out how to translate evidence to action to make progress toward UHC,” said Gina Lagomarsino, president and CEO at Results for Development. “We’re thrilled to lead this new project, and look forward to working with partners in the region.”
Working with country and regional stakeholders to better navigate their own path to UHC, ACS will: support transparent and inclusive country conversations to identify challenges, test solutions, and support implementation; build capacity and commitment at the national level and between countries to help to translate health financing tools to local contexts; and leverage regional networks and institutions to support countries in reaching their goals.
“UHC is a long process that we fundamentally believe must be country-driven,” said Allison Kelley, ACS project director at Results for Development. “The key to success is first to listen to country challenges and priorities, then to support them to make real progress. This means moving beyond technical approaches to a more inclusive, facilitated process at country-level.”
At the outset, ACS will embark on a consultation phase, engaging with stakeholders to understand challenges, assess demand, and shape the program of work.
This web announcement is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Results for Development, Global Health Innovation Center, Duke University, and Feed the Children and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
