Partnership welcomes 10 new members

17 May 2010, Geneva -- In a side event to the opening day of the 63rd World Health Assembly, the International Health Partnership (IHP+) welcomed 10 new members: Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo and, Viet Nam.

Ministers of Health from the joining member countries signed the Global Compact in the presence of Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, Mr Rakesh Nangia, Director Strategy and Operations, Human Development, the World Bank, and many other existing IHP+ signatories.
 

IHP+ was created to accelerate progress towards the health Millennium Development Goals, with a focus on improving coordination between country governments and development partners to improve health services and health outcomes. The Global Compact represents the formal commitment to put the Paris principles on aid effectiveness – national ownership, alignment with national systems, harmonization between agencies, management for results, and mutual accountability – into practice in the health sector.
 

In her opening remarks, Doctor Chan stressed the importance of greater mutual accountability and transparency. She praised the commitment of developing countries and development agencies to improving health through the IHP+ agenda, and she reminded them of their responsibilities. She noted that in developing countries, domestic funds still make up the larger portion of health budgets, and stressed the need for efficient use of all funds - domestic and development assistance. She encouraged developing countries to challenge all development agencies and donors to participate in improving health through support of one national health plan, a stronger health information system, and a single monitoring and evaluation framework. 

IHP+ Global Compact (FR)