The Strathmore Governance Centre will early next year hold a 2 day workshop on the theme "Governance in the Health Sector". Please check this page for updates on the date of the workshop, research and topics of discussion.

Objectives of the Workshop

The aim of the workshop is to create a forum to discuss issues related to governance in the implementation of recent health sector initiatives and strategies, while taking stock of achievements in the previous year.

The goal of National Health Sector Strategic Plan 2005-2010 (NHSSP II) to reverse the declining trends in key health sector indicators can only be achieved if there is regular and open coordination of all activities by all partners. Several measures have been taken to achieve this, evidenced by the development and adoption of a Joint Programme of Work and Funding (JPWF) under the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) to support the Government in resource mobilization and management for the health sector.

Furthermore, donors have been holding talks with the Government over how to harmonise, align, and coordinate their activities with the aim of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of aid and of reducing transactions costs to government, in line with the objectives of the Paris and Rome Declarations. Among the documents recently signed in these negotiations are the SWAp Code of Conduct, The International Health Partnership and Kenya Joint Assistance Strategy (KJAS).

Bringing together representatives from private organizations, NGOs, government departments, donor agencies, health institutions, and individual and community members involved in the health sector will, we hope, heighten dialogue on a broad range of governance issues, and build consensus around a research agenda. In addition, a set of practical policy recommendations to strengthen efficiency, accountability and transparency in the implementation of these initiatives will be developed.

Topics and Participants

More details of the programme and panellists will be availed once they are ready. We have so far identified key topics for the workshop:

• Realizing a coordinated multilateral approach to strengthening health systems against the national plan: the key issues
• Efficiency in the implementation of the national health plan through partnership between government and non-government organizations
• Transparency and accountability in the area of procurement and financial reporting

If you have suggestions or require further details, please contact Elsie Onsongo at (254-20) 606155 or 0722-205428, or send an email to: governance@strathmore.edu.