[ Course ]
Strengthening private sector engagement in fragile contexts
Type
Workshop
Modality
Hybrid
Fees
Free
Category
Health Policy
Programme Area
Others
In Afghanistan, there are four units/departments overseeing the work of the private sector in health.

On 14 September 2022 a four-hour virtual workshop took place, in order to: enhance inter-departmental coordination; ensure effective engagement of private providers in service delivery; and share WHO’s approach to engaging the private sector in health.

This workshop was conducted in collaboration across all three levels of the World Health Organization (WHO), which included WHO Country Office of Afghanistan, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern-Mediterranean and WHO Headquarters. The workshop was facilitated virtually by Impact for Health International (IHI).

The workshop covered several topics, which included:
• The role and contribution of private providers to service delivery in the country;
• The role of governments in governing the private sector in health;
• The process of conducting public-private dialogue and key considerations of the process;
• The principles for effective engagement of the private sector in health and the different forms of such engagement;
• Public-private partnerships as a form of engagement, including its risks, benefits and prerequisites;
• Success stories and lessons learned from private sector engagement (PSE) activities in the region and other similar contexts;
• Relevant WHO technical resources.

A total of 22 participants from four MOH departments attended the workshop in-person. The participants included representatives from: the public-private partnerships unit; the private sector coordination department; the private sector regulation department; and the private health sector, Health Information Systems unit.

The workshop included interventions from:
• Dr. Ajab Gul Niaz, Health Rules and Compliance Directorate, MOPH
• Dr Hala Abou Taleb, Regional Adviser a.i. , Health System Governance, WHO/EMRO
• Gabrielle Appleford, Consultant, WHO/HQ
• David Clarke, Unit Head a.i., Health System’s Governance and Policy, WHO/HQ
• Aya Thabet, Private Sector Engagement Consultant, WHO/EMRO
• Dr Walid Ammar, Director of Doctorate and Research, Public Health Programme, Université St Joseph Beyrouth
• Dr Faraz Khalid, Technical Officer, WHO/EMRO