Glimmer of Hope From the Health Financing Workshop: Accelerating the Process of Resource Mobilization and Pooling

Brazzaville, 14 April 2006 -- The health financing workshop held in Brazzaville, Congo from 11 to 13 April 2006, has ended on a note of hope in the light of the recommendations contained in the Regional Health Financing Strategy that commits countries to adhere to the commitment made by African Heads of States to allocate 15% of national budgets to health.

The Strategy recommends, among others the need to seize upon the opportunities provided by global financing mechanisms such as the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) and the Global Alliance for VaccineS and Immunization (GAVI).

The objective is to strengthen the process of resource mobilization in countries because countries should count on their own resources first and foremost; increase the volume of aid; and strengthen health systems performance so that health systems would reach out to everyone.

The Strategy addresses the issue of pooling of resources to enable the populations to have greater access to care. The countries should consider measures such as granting of exemptions and subsidies for the most vulnerable populations and make better allocation of resources for equitable and sustainable health financing.

“A message from the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, read out on his behalf by the Director, Healthy Environments and Sustainable Development Division, WHO Regional Office, Dr Chris Miwikisa noted that “the workshop is taking place at the right time in order to advise the countries on priority interventions needed to strengthen health financing systems and mobilize the resources required to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other national health objectives”.

Dr Sambo’s message stressed the need for universal coverage of interventions in the areas of prevention, treatment and care for HIV/AIDS and other priority diseases that require the mobilization of huge resources.

Dr Sambo made a commitment to further the process started in Brazzaville. The regional health financing strategy, its implementation framework and the draft resolution prepared at the workshop will be submitted to the ministers of health for adoption at the 56th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, scheduled for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 28 August to 1 September 2006.

After its adoption, the Strategy will be disseminated among countries and partners. Thereafter, a workshop will be organized for the partners involved in developing a country support plan, for implementation.

Experts from WHO, Regional Economic Communities, World Bank, International Labour Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund and the African Advisory Committee for Health Economics attended the health financing workshop on the invitation of the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

For more information contact:

Technical contact

Dr Joses Muthuri Krigia

Regional Advisor, Health Economics

WHO Regional Office for Africa

Brazzaville , Congo 

Tel. No. 00 47 241 39342

E.mail: kirigiaj [at] afro.who.int

Media contact

Flavienne Issemblè

Public Information and Communication Unit

Tel No. 00 47241 39352

E.mail: issembef [at] afro.who.int