About > Approach

Country Level Management

At the country-level, the IHP+ supports country health sector teams in IHP+ countries accomplish the following:

  1. Develop country level compacts:
    Existing inter-agency country health sector teams in collaboration with MOH/MOF and development partners, will define country level compacts that commit development partners and government to support one costed, results-based national health plan, in a harmonized and aligned way, and ensure predictable, long-term financing. The precise content of the compact will vary from country to country, but in all countries it will provide a close-to-binding commitment by government, national partners, and international development agencies to long-term sustainable development of health services. Key steps to developing the compact include.
    • Stocktaking exercise. Countries will undertake a stocktaking exercise of national health plans and strategies - providing status updates in order to ensure common understanding of country progress among global and regional audiences. This analytical exercise is very contextual and depends on the level of progress in the countries.
      • Identification of required changes in process/relationship with development partners in order to implement the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.
      • Identification of technical assistance needs for preparing the compact.
      • Timetable of key events (sector reviews, major evaluations, etc).
    • Country roadmaps. Countries will clarify a road map for defining the country compact. Discussions led by Ministries of Health and Ministries of Finance with development partners 'country health sector teams' will define the steps for developing the compact. Specific activities to be supported will be determined through this dialogue. In the short run, work will be based on the existing national health plans (which might not be comprehensive yet), as well as alignment and harmonization of partner support. It is important to note that health plans are not static but dynamic and will be continuously adjusted over time, usually through joint annual reviews. The first two steps to developing the compact will help identify the value-added of this process at the country level. This will be important as other countries learn from the first wave countries.
    • Compact signing. The signing of a compact will be the international equivalent of ratification of the national health plan by ministries of finance and parliament. By signing the compact, development partners will be bound to supporting the implementation of the national health plan and agreeing modifications through joint reviews.


  2. Strengthen country level coordination mechanisms
    Existing inter-agency country health sector teams, working under the lead of the government, will work to strengthen country level coordination mechanisms. The composition of these teams - how they work, and any plans to streamline different mechanisms - will be shared across countries. Guidance for the effective management of health sector teams will be developed based on agreed good practice from current experience, to inform the future roll out of IHP+. This work will focus on:
    • The capacities of the agencies and units in government to address any gaps in necessary expertise.
    • Mechanisms to strengthen and scale-up existing National Health Plans and Strategies by identifying priorities, defining results, identifying the appropriate package of health interventions and ensuring that national health plans become the main framework for aligning international aid with national priorities.
    • Streamlining and re-aligning development partner processes at country-level and facilitating open dialogue between governments, civil society and development partners at country level, building on the concept of a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), but extending it to broader development frameworks such as Poverty Reduction Strategies.
    • Providing demand-driven technical support and institutional capacity building, using the full range of sources of technical assistance, including national and regional institutions, NGOs, UN and development partners.
    • Prepare national consultations on policy options arising from knowledge gained through innovations in strengthening national health systems, in particular, national plans, strategies and budgets, health service delivery, results based financing, aid effectiveness and health, and health financing and social protection, to build national consensus with government, civil society and local academia.


  3. Agree on preferred mechanisms for mobilizing domestic and international resources for strengthening health systems

    4. Country health sector teams, led by government, will agree on preferred mechanisms for mobilizing additional resources for innovative and investment funds to strengthen health systems, based on in-country experience (WB, Bilateral, GAVI-HSS, GF, GHWA, HMN etc). This will include:
    • Identifying and addressing the fiscal and macroeconomic implications of the scaled-up health plans to allow the government to move towards increased, sustainable and more predictable sector and programmatic funding, and ensuring partners' engagement and inclusion;
    • Facilitating access to additional funds through World Bank, EC and Bilateral investments and through partnerships like the GAVI Alliance, the Global Fund, the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA), Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR), and Health Metrics Network (HMN); and
    • Supporting countries in creating sustainable financing structures and systems so as to mobilize and sustain additional internal resources.


  4. Regularly liaison with IHP+ inter-agency Core Team:
    The country health sector teams will need to be in regular communication with the IHP+ inter-agency Core Team based in Brazzaville (for HHA, see later), Geneva and Washington, DC, to obtain support for in-country work, and to report on any health system and development partner bottlenecks that hinder progress. The country health sector teams will also take part in occasional 'learning' events and exchanges at the regional and global level to share information and experience. The teams will continue regular dialogue with the Core Team and partners to provide updates and to guide the international response.

For more information, please click on the links below.
IHP+ Work Plan
IHP+ Inter-Agency Core Team TORS