1st African Health Cluster Associations Conference

1^st African Health Cluster Associations Conference

Draft Conference Proposal

Background

African Federation of Hospital Associations (AFHA) is a non-profit African inter-regional knowledge hub striving to bring together private hospital associations and independent health organizations in Africa or rather the independent private health sub-sector in Africa. It was founded in 2007 by Uganda National Association of Private Hospitals (UNAPH).

The aim of Private-for-Profit (PFP) Health Cluster Associations Conference is to inform the contribution of Independent Private Health sub-sector investment to sustainable regional development and ensuring Health for All. This means sharing practical “how-to” knowledge and innovative solutions between partners and stakeholders in ways that show health as an investment and not as a cost.

Objectives of the Conference

(1) To share experiences in implementation of the Private-for-Profit (PFP) health cluster approach in the African Region.

(2) To develop a Private-for-Profit (PFP) health cluster associations’ operational framework to be used at the national level in African Region.

(3) To strengthen regional networks and partnerships for implementation of the health cluster associations approach.

Some of the Key Issues

-                 Regional Economy
-      Interregional solutions
-      Affordable capital investments
-      Sustainable Regional Development
-      Inclusive employment
-      Exchange of expertise and best practices
-      Structural funds
-      Health sector investments
-      Local procurement
-      Health Innovations
-      Knowledge think tank and laboratory
-      Value addition
-      Private-for-Profit Health Interventions

Importantly, when we look at the key challenges and opportunities to the strategic development of the health field in connection in African regions, three insights are important:

• PFP health sub-sector and Regional health systems are net generators of GDP and employment. But as yet, nobody has worked out how to consistently maximize this hidden capacity.
• While this 'know-how" capacity gap exists we will not be effective in stabilizing the welfare of our communities or regional health systems
• Ultimately, regional and cross-border clusters combining public and private health investments in successful partnership will be a significant part of the social and economic structure at local as well as African level.

 To address this gap African Federation of Hospital Associations (AFHA) and PFP health clusters helps its partners better to come to the fore their priorities by:

• Stimulating mutual learning by helping regions talk to and work with other regions,
• Sharing practical knowledge about improving PFP health sub-sector service delivery returns on investment,
• Sharing practical knowledge about improving PFP health sub-sector returns on investment,
• Speaking with and engaging politicians and development partners about the important role played by the PFP health sub-sector and PFP independent hospitals and clinics in the general health service delivery,
• Using independent, non-profit experts (our Health Architects and Associates),
• Overcoming limits through attention to improving understanding and capacity,
• Working with practical methods and tools that people can use,
• Understanding and Improving Public Private Partnership in Health in Africa
• Getting the balance right between learning from the past and anticipating the future

Why Health Cluster Associations Conference needed in Africa?

 CHALLENGES FOR AFRICAN REGIONS

• Regional economic development is essential as a means of tackling health inequalities, and health is now seen as a basic part of strong, competitive economies.
• Regional devolution is now a major element of healthcare reform across Africa, with the aim of making services more relevant and more responsive to local needs.
• Having a healthy population is central to member regions achieving the goals of the African Union’s Agenda (increased employment, competitiveness and public, private and civil society sectors working together.

OPPORTUNITIES TO AFRICAN REGIONS

• 2007-2014 is a new era of African policy and funding with regions the key focus of Cohesion Policy and related sustainable development.
• Achieving the goals of the ‘‘Health for All’’ shows the importance of creating a culture of networking between regions.
• Regional policy is crucial for implementation of the Lisbon Agenda because of its closeness to knowledge assets and partnerships.
• Regions need to build capacity for strategic interaction, moving away from the traditional to experimentation and innovation.
• Cooperation that surpasses national systems is more likely to deliver added value Investment in the health sector is not just a cost to national economies. It is also a proven creator of wealth in local, regional and national economies.
• Despite evidence from across African that private health sector investment can be a strong contributor to regional economic development and social cohesion, few regions have capitalized on this potential.

The purpose of African Health Cluster Associations Conference is for member regions to share practical experience about how the PFP health sub-sector can contribute to regional development.

For whom

FOR HEALTH SERVICE DECISION MAKERS

For health service decision makers supports the development of the corporate social responsibility role of your organizations and shows informed practical ways of joining up regional economies and the health agenda. It also shows your commitment to the health inequalities and health improvement agenda.

FOR LOCAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS

For local independent health organizations such as Private-for-Profit Hospitals Associations, individual independent hospitals and health NGOs, Health Cluster Associations network helps inform your commitment to joint working with local government and other partnerships to develop fully engaged communities at both individual and organizational levels.

FOR REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS 

For regional governments across Africa, Health Cluster Associations Network promotes greater ownership by regional governments of local health service activities; creating relevant regional centers of excellence contribute to building and maintaining a reputation for supporting the regional knowledge economy.  It supports building political and organizational capacity for collaboration between health care providers, universities, medical schools, related research institutes and regional economies. It suggests areas for investment that will produce effective and sustainable results. It also provides a means for member regions to promote their expertise, dynamism and creativity.

FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AND SMALL AND MIDDLE SIZE ENTERPRIZES

For regional economic development agencies and SMEs, engagement with Health Cluster Associations Conference offers a clear basis for simpler, more transparent procurement processes with less bureaucracy, the development of an enterprise aware culture in health service organizations, increasing the skills base in local labour markets and promoting business growth by helping SMEs in your region to become more competitive in wider markets.

                                                      

 FOR RELEVANT EC DIRECTORATES

For relevant AU Directorates (AU Private Sector dept, AU Social Affairs Dept, AU Regional Policy, AU Research, AU Internal Markets, WHOAFRO, etc) the knowledge sharing facilitated by this Network Hub provides a platform for an approach to regional development that cuts across individual competencies in order to achieve added value benefits from PFP health sub-sector investment that contributes to sustainable regional development. These include:

• Promoting regional health sector-related enterprise
• Promoting innovation and health-related research
• Strengthening regional competitiveness and economic development
• Supporting improved health status and better health outcomes for regional populations.
• Actively protecting the environment through new health care design and decreasing overall transport miles.

 Suggested Themes;

1.      Developing and strengthening of health clusters in African health
region.

2.      Know How-To' Knowledge through The Practical Knowledge Programme

The focus is to identify, develop and share practical know-how knowledge on how to maximise the added social and economic value from investment in regional health care systems.

Key themes – working groups:

-          Local Procurement

-          Inclusive and attractive health sector employment

-          Sustainable and effective health innovation markets

-          Maximizing health gain using structural funds

Intended Partners  

HCN partners are attracted from PFP private health sub-sector associations, regional governments, local municipalities, regional health organizations, Ministries of Health, local health services, universities and research centers, enterprises, international health organizations,  other economic actors. We shall also collaborate with other African organizations working with and/or representing AU regions. 

Benefits of Attending;

Join this leading interregional African organization for support, advice and exchange of expertise in using health sector investments to improve regional economic and social development.       

THE BENEFITS OF Health Cluster Associations Partnership

Health Cluster Associations Conference will contribute to profiling your region as a leading edge region in your country by reflecting on the regional needs and priorities

• Maximising the contribution of regional/local health investments to regional development (economic growth especially in the innovation field and social cohesion)
• Maximising health gains from use of Structural Funds and other funding sources through direct or indirect health sector investments and especially, non-health sector investments.

Three levels of Partnership will be offered for HCN Partners, which allows them different degree of involvement in Health Cluster Associations Networks, which can bring about various impacts and outcomes for the regions. These can include

• Improved integration of good practice information into investment decisions by your organization and region,
• Improved dissemination, uptake and implementation of good practices and lessons learned that help key regional stakeholders in addressing regional development priorities,
• Improved policy and decision-making, moving beyond cost savings and efficiency to effectiveness, sustainability, cost benefits, added value,
• Increased quality of evidence about how health gains can be maximized from non-health sector investments,
• Improved collaboration by means of established problem-solving paths for handling future challenges by linking your region to comparator regions and organizations across the African.