The Health Systems Funding Platform (the Platform) was established in 2009 on the recommendation of the High Level Task Force on Innovative International Financing for Health Systems. It is intended as a mechanism to accelerate progress towards the MDGs, and specifically to: “…coordinate, mobilize, streamline and channel the flow of existing and new international resources to support national health strategies.” The Platform is being developed initially by the GAVI Alliance, the Global Fund and the World Bank, and facilitated by the World Health Organization (WHO), in consultation with countries and other key stakeholders, including civil society. It is based on the principles of the International Health Partnership Plus (IHP+), in line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, to promote: national ownership; alignment with national systems; harmonization between agencies; managing for results; and mutual accountability among partners, donors and countries. | Work on the Health Systems Funding Platform is Ongoing | | Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the Platform, August 2010 (English; French) | | Platform Background Document to the United Nations Secretary General's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health (click here to access all of the background documents) | NEW! Updated Health Systems Funding Platform Work Plan, June 2011 | | Platform partners endorse a harmonized approach to financial management | | | Country Level Work | Implementing the Platform - Country Update Document (English; French) October 2010 Through the Platform, countries will benefit from international development funding for health systems strengthening that is:
• Better aligned with country priorities and processes;
• More harmonized in terms of planning, reporting, and financial management; and
• More predictable over the course of a country's planning cycle. In practice, this will work differently from country to country. Work has already begun among a number of countries and Platform partners to establish baselines, benchmarks and indicators that better align health planning and programming with national priorities and existing processes. In Nepal, a Joint Assessment of the National Health Strategy (JANS) was carried out in January 2010 (read about the Nepal JANS and lessons learned here) and a Joint Financing Agreement, which will increase transparency and reduce transaction costs, was signed by the government and development partners in August, 2010 (read the press release here). Initial consultations on the Platform were held with the Ministry of Heath and Development Partners in Cambodia in June, 2010. A briefing on the consultation, including next steps, is available here.
| | Early Work on the Platform | | Platform work began with a Technical Workshop on Health System Strengthening in June, 2009. The workshop, hosted by The World Bank, the GAVI Alliance and The Global Fund, was the first joint action by the three agencies to meet the Task Force's call. Read about the workshop and access the materials and background papers. | | Guiding Principles: In August, 2009 staff from The World Bank, GAVI Alliance, The Global Fund and the WHO held a ‘nuts and bolts’ meeting on the Platform. This working meeting framed some suggestions for joint programming and funding for HSS. Read more about the meeting in ‘Notes from the WB, GAVI, GF Meeting on Joint HSS’ and take a look at the suggested ‘Principles Guiding Joint Programming and a Funding Platform for Health System Strengthening’ document. | | | | | What has been said about the Platform?
Wedding Bells for GAVI, the World Bank and the Global Fund? by Ruth Levine (July 9, 2009)
The GAVI, Global Fund, and World Bank joint funding platform Lancet 2009; (7 November) | | Initial Feedback: The working group has been soliciting feedback on the ‘Principles’ document through meetings with our partners and colleagues – representatives from developing countries, civil society and NGOs, bilateral agencies and other global health funders. We have also received comments via e-mail (which we are making available here with the writer's consent): Comments from Lola Dare, Comments from Jacob Hughes, Comments from Rik Peeperkorn, Comments from Save the Children UK. | | | | |
New material will be added to this page as work on the Platform moves forward.
Please send feedback and questions to Johannes Hunger at the Global Fund (Johannes.Hunger@theglobalfund.org), Lisa Leenhouts-Martin at the GAVI Alliance (LLeenhoutsMartin@gavialliance.org) or Katherine Brouhard at the World Bank (kbrouhard@worldbank.org). |
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