Washington, DC, United States

Background of the course

Money counts for better health! However, more money and even rapid economic growth are not enough to achieve desirable Health Outcomes and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Systems structure and efficiency matter, as do supporting institutions, households and communities, policies, and politics. While there is long-standing recognition that health outcomes are significantly determined at the household level and are greatly affected by factors outside the health sector such as water and sanitation and transport infrastructure, policies continue mainly to focus on supply production factors within the health sector.

This new programme approaches health outcomes from the demand side through a multisectoral perspective, looking into mechanisms such as Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), and Sector Wide Approaches (SWAPs). The course underscores the different roles necessary at each different sector for a multisectoral approach, the need for coordination at the central level, and also alignment of donors with national processes - especially budgets - to ensure harmonisation. This course will build capacity for developing multisectoral health outcome strategies, emphasising that better effective interventions, actions and policies exist and that adaptation to the country situation is critical.

Course Objectives

The course will share information, tools and knowledge of reforms and essential public health functions in order to empower participants to become effective agents of change. Specific learning objectives include:

• Learning to apply a multisectoral framework to better achieve health, nutrition, and population outcomes
• Understanding the role of the public sector, and the impact of health systems performance on the MDGs
• Using health sector reform to achieve health outcomes
• Learning how to apply diagnostic, planning and implementation support tools

Target Audience

Government officials and private sector practitioners involved health outcomes related policy making and programmes and project design and implementation. Country teams encouraged.

Applications

Participants are encouraged to apply for the course through online registration. Click here to apply.

The application deadline is February 22, 2008.

Course Fees

Participants will be charged a course fee of US$1,500 and should expect to incur additional expenses locally of hotel fee for 14 days at approximately US$1,946, and subsistence accommodation and meals at US$910.There is a discounted fee of US$1,200 for 3 or more participants in one country. Participants are also responsible for purchasing their own airline tickets.

Click here for more information regarding the course.