Below is our monthly IHD update outlining recent happenings in the Division. We look forward to receiving any feedback you may wish to share with us.
Abt Opens Office in the United Kingdom
Abt officially opened a U.K. office to better serve clients in the region, including the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID). To launch the new office, Abt hosted an event February 27 at the Impact Hub’s Strategy Lab in London on how the private sector can support universal health coverage goals. This event is the first in a series entitled: “New Directions–A Knowledge Series on Global Development” that Abt will present on development issues in the U.K. office. Kari Smith, Principal Associate and Director, Abt Great Britain, is located in London and will represent the company there. Contact: jeffrey_barnes@abtassoc.com regarding the Knowledge Series and kari_smith@abtassoc.com for UK office matters.
Celebrating 50 Years of Bold Thinking
In FY15 Abt kicks off a year-long commemoration of the company’s founding in January 1965. To mark this milestone, a series of thought leadership events will be held throughout the year. The first, a panel discussion on “New Directions in Social Experiments: What can U.S. and international program evaluators learn from each other?,” took place March 11 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Clark Abt’s Alma Mater, with a live video feed held in Bethesda. Stay tuned for announcements of further celebratory events.
Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships in Health Forum, Addis
The USAID-funded Private Health Sector Program (PHSP) in Ethiopia, in collaboration with Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health, the International Finance Corporation, and the World Health Organization, will hold a three-day national Public Private Partnership Forum on March 25-27. The purpose of this event is to create greater awareness among Ethiopian stakeholders of the potential for the private health sector to contribute to the national health system by helping to expand access to key public health services for the general population. In addition to disseminating key results related to work with the private health sector in Ethiopia, PHSP is inviting international presenters to share experiences from other countries to engage the private health sector in meeting basic health needs and achieving national health goals. Contact: ellen_pierce@abtassoc.com.
SHOPS Hosts Meeting on Role of Private Providers in Provision of Long-Acting and Permanent Contraception
On March 4, the Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) project organized a meeting on private health providers and the provision of long-acting and permanent methods of contraception (LAPM). Participants included members of the LAPM Community of Practice and representatives from USAID. Stephen Rahaim, Houda Khayame, and Francoise Armand gave presentations on the enabling environment, demand generation, and the supply chain. Contact: robin_keeley@abtassoc.com.
Community-based Health Insurance Schemes Partner with MOH to Increase Insurance Coverage in Senegal
Community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes emerged in Senegal during the 1980s, and have potential to contribute to the extension of health insurance in the informal and rural sectors. The schemes received limited support from the Senegalese government in the past, but that is changing. Through the USAID-funded Health System Strengthening project (HSS), Abt is supporting the promotion of CBHIs by assisting the Senegalese MOH develop a strategic plan for universal health care. Key to this new partnership is a government subsidy for CBHI schemes. Five regional CBHI organizations received their first subsidies of about US$350,000 in February. Sixty-three CBHI schemes are benefiting from the subsidy based on the number of CBHI beneficiaries who contributed in 2013. State subsidies support the extension of CBHI benefit packages, while keeping household contributions affordable. Contact: Senegal HSS COP, francois_diop@abtsn.com or lisa_nichols@abtassoc.com in Bethesda.
Tanzania Wajibika Project Receives Award from USAID
Wajibika, which means “be accountable” in Kiswahili, was recently granted a “District Revenue Award" from USAID Tanzania for “improving financial management of local governments which increased the proportion of districts that received clean audits from 44% to 85%, making them eligible for larger funding allocations from the central level.” The Wajibika project (2009-2013) provided training and mentoring to assist 27 local government councils in seven regions implement community-driven health services planning and improve financial management, procurement, and internal audit practices. The impact of these improvements spanned all sectors and departments of local government. For more information, see http://abtassociates.com/Impact/2013/Abt-led-Project-in-Tanzania-Helps-Local-Government.aspx or contact: melinda_ojermark@abtassoc.com.
Abt Published in International Journal of Drug Policy
Congratulations to Ted Hammett on the recent publication of his article, “Evaluation of HIV prevention interventions for people who inject drugs in low- and middle-income countries – the current and future state of the art.” For a copy of the article, please contact Abt librarian, sarah_curran@abtassoc.com.
HFG and SHOPS Present at March 7th Mini-University
Mini-U is an annual learning forum for global health professionals and students held at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Offering sessions highlighting evidence-based best practices and state-of-the-art information, the Mini-U is sponsored by USAID and GW University’s School of Public Health and Health Services. At this year’s Mini-U, the HFG project’s "Health Finance Food Court: What’s Cooking?” session, developed and led by Catherine Connor, Carlos Avila, Karishmah Bhuwanee, Thierry van Bastelaer, Josef Tayag, and Julie Doherty, looked at how countries struggle to finance health care in a way that is adequate, efficient, equitable, and sustainable. A second HFG session, “UHC from A to Z: Definitions, Designs, and Pathways” featured USAID’s Karen Cavanaugh, Director of the Office of Health Systems, Bethanne Moskov, and Caroline Ly, with HFG’s Laurel Hatt, Sharon Nakhimovsky, Tesfaye Dereje, and Hailu Zelelew, and sought to define universal health care and clarify misconceptions using case studies from Ghana and Ethiopia. Vicki MacDonald from SHOPS discussed “Constant Contact: Reinforcing Provider Training with Mobile-based Tools in Ghana.”
Performance Review Evaluation Plan (PREP) Kicks Off March 31
PREP 2014 will open on March 31 and close on May 9. PREP, which includes goal setting, regular feedback, and recognition of staff progress, all contribute to the success of our work. This year, we will be using a new system, ATLAS, to document our performance evaluations. HR promises that ATLAS will be easy to use and allow more flexibility with the PREP process. HRServiceCenter@abtassoc.com.
Fast Approaching – End of Abt’s Fiscal Year
It’s time for cleaning house! Have you completed outstanding expense reports, removed time sheets from the subaccount, cleared travel and tuition advances off the books? And for management, reviewed project projections, tracked down all subcontractor invoices? Plus all other related tasks? Please do your part to help IHD end the fiscal year with a clean slate!
March and Upcoming Events
March 11 – Abt 50th anniversary thought leadership event, New Directions in Social Experiments: What can U.S. and international program evaluators learn from each other? at MIT in Cambridge, live video feed in Bethesda
March 20 – The Role of the Private Sector in Family Planning: Past, Present, and Future, SHOPS Project (elizabeth_corley@abtassoc.com)
April 2 – Private Sector Working Group Annual Meeting, SHOPS Project (elizabeth_corley@abtassoc.com)
Welcome, Goodbyes – A Sampling
Welcome: Laura McCarty, Almagul Saparbayeva, Saiqa Panjsheri
Goodbyes: Ricel Valdes, Nana Maiga
SAVE THE DATE!
April 16 – Global IHD Townhall
June 9-12 – Abt 2014 Chief of Party (COP) Conference
June 18 – Global IHD Staff Meeting