1st 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
- 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.
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.