Strategic Advisory Group Meeting Note for the Record 16 June 2015, Geneva

Transcription

1 Strategic Advisory Group Meeting Note for the Record 16 June 2015, Geneva Attended Apologies Secretariat Francesco Checchi (FC), Pascale Fritsch (PF), Richard Garfield (RG), André Griekspoor (AG), Gabriel Novelo Sierra (GN), Marian Schilperoord (MS), Iman Shankiti (IS), Sonia Walia (SW), Nevio Zagaria (NZ). Mary Pack (MP) Linda Doull (LD), Elisabetta Minelli (EM) Discussion Decision Action Introduction and meeting objectives (chaired by PF and AG) AG introduced the meeting by reminding participants the role of the SAG as a body that assists and advises the GHC in its strategic direction. Update on Global Health Cluster work-plan progress and discussion on action required to address areas of concern (chaired by PF) LD gave a progress update on the 2015 GHC work-plan (see annex 1) highlighting that delivery is slower than anticipated, due to an overemphasis on processes internally and externally. LD also updated the SAG on the creation and similarly slow progress of the Task Teams (TT) for Information Management, Advocacy, Health Cluster Guide and Professional Development (see annex 2). Of particular concern is the Information Management TT which still has no clear plan to implement available tools (other than Cluster Performance Monitoring) whilst country cluster demand is high. LD explained that in addition to the work-plan considerable GHCU time has been spent contributing to discussions related to WHO reform and the proposed Global Health Emergency Workforce in particular. This area of work is likely to increase once reform implementation plans are clarified expected around July. Funding for GHC activity is satisfactory, with a budget of USD 542k (from WHO, Estonia and Sweden) with additional indirect contribution from the ECHO NGO Consortium. Further funding from CDC is currently being explored to support activities 1.5 and 2.3. The current budget underspent is a result on slow implementation. WHO currently funds all GHC Unit staff. LD informed the SAG that WHO expects an increased proportion of GHC funding to come from external partners and that a Partners could support the GHCU with Country Health Cluster (CHC) support missions e.g. to conduct the Cluster Performance Monitoring workshops. Priorities are HCC training, multi-year strategy, Health Cluster Guide, CPM support to countries and Task Team revitalization. Task Teams should be meeting face-to-face prior to the Partner Meeting or in other occasions. Retain activities 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 due to link with demonstrating Send request to partners to support the 8 invitations from (CHC) to conduct Cluster Performance Monitoring before the year end. Explore possible APWs with Save the Children to coordinate and implement either Information Management or Advocacy Task Team activities. Send a request to partners and Health Cluster Coordinators to participate in the Health Cluster Guide Task Team and hire a consultant to lead the Activate the Professional Development Task Team and continue working with the L&D consultants hired by the GHCU and Save the Children to deliver HC 1

2 funding strategy in support of the new GHC multi-year strategy must be developed before the end of From an HR perspective Technical Officer recruitment is ongoing to replace the previous short-term incumbent. Limited dedicated cluster capacity at Regional Offices level also hampers work-plan implementation despite their best efforts and support. To accelerate delivery of key GHC activities, additional consultants or cluster partner contributions will be necessary. LD sought SAG feedback on which activities should be prioritised. SAG felt overall work-plan remained relevant but some suggested postponing activities 1.3, 1.4 and 3.2 GHC Partner Meeting: finalization of preparation (chaired by AG) LD described the meeting objectives and the expected outcomes of each session with further clarification and Chairing responsibilities agreed by the SAG. Development of GHC multi-year strategy (chaired by LD) cluster performance and increasing cluster capacity. Shift responsibility for some activities from GHC Unit to SAG members. IM Task Team must drive scale up of tool use and capacity building. Shift from data collection to information management. Regional offices need to be equipped to be able to support CHCs. Dedicated Regional cluster focal point should be considered as a future option. SAG should contribute to the planning and preparation of the multi-stakeholder event that is now planned for February Use the session on WHO Reform to ask for active strategic level engagement of the GHC in the reform Early recovery should be a discussion topic for the next Partner Meeting. training in September. Add WHO Reform activities to the work-plan. SAG to raise request for GHC strategic engagement in the reform process with Dr Aylward during his session. LD stated the need to agree on a process and timeline for the development and endorsement of the strategy that is due by the end of She referred to the discussion during the HC Forum as a missed opportunity due to lack of strategic inputs (insufficient SAG members and Regional Advisers represented) and more operational approach from HCCs. LD expressed the need to discuss how the GHC can revitalise itself and build a stronger partnership with regions/countries and partners. SAG to work directly with GHCU throughout the strategy development process, starting with drafting of critical questions to inform analysis. External review helpful GHCU to develop ToR and hire an external consultant/s support the strategy development GHCU to organize workshop of the SAG & other key stakeholders 2

3 FC suggested a radical reorientation for which strategic / technical advisory teams of all partners should come together at the global level. NZ stressed the need to lighten the GHC work-plan that should be reduced in size and narrowed to critical issues to support CHCs. GN also agreed the GHC should become more operational, rather than process oriented. Consensus among SAG on need for stronger emphasis on inter-sectoral approach. if appropriate consultants available & process feasible within current short timeframe. (tbc) for the development of the strategy. AG and NZ suggested the multi-year strategy should be developed in line with the changes of the WHO reform and the post transformative agenda. SW stressed the importance of being very clear about what the Health Cluster wants to accomplish (vision, mission, goal) in place in this moment of change. Richard highlighted that the advantage of the Health Cluster partnership is its ability to help bypass UN bureaucracy and more effectively reach populations in need. There was also a consensus on the importance of building national partner capacity and working with the Ministries of Health, if present and appropriate to context. LD stated that the Health Cluster had never been externally reviewed and suggested that a lite-review may help inform the new strategy development. Support to Health Clusters in countries (chaired by IS) IS asked the SAG for advice/suggestions on some of the issues raised by HCCs during the HC Forum: 1. Activity based costing: recognition that it could be a better way of costing based on beneficiaries (Myanmar experience), but it is difficult to implement and there is no clear guidance on health which requires more complex analysis than other sectors. Need to respond to OCHA on previous requests for clear guidance on activity based costing for the Health Cluster. Holding position needed until further clarity on an agreed approach secured. 2. Early recovery/transition strategies: recognition that most CHCs do not adapt their response strategies to the particular phase of the emergency and often there is no discussion about cluster exit strategies. Cluster Coordination Reference Module provides come guidance but not being actively promoted or implemented. 3. Cross cutting issues: Recent IASC gender policy review suggests the HC is more gender sensitive than other clusters, however, CMPt results indicate Health Cluster Guide should include early recovery/transition. Make available best practice examples of integrating cross cutting issues from CHCs/partners. GHCU to collect countries experience on activitybased costing from SAG members. MS to share activity-based costing done by UNHCR. GN to share experience on activity based costing in Myanmar. LD to follow-up with OCHA consultant on activitybased costing guidance. AG to share background paper on protracted emergency response and phasing out. FC to share do s and don'ts on cross-cutting issues from Save the Children. GHCU to ensure online 3

4 that gender still not well integrated in response and donor proposals and even when included, activities are not always implemented or well documented. PF informed SAG about forthcoming revised and combined age & gender marker tip sheets. 4. Capacity building: revised HC coordination training for both HCCs and IMOs planned for September 2015; Professional Development Task Team should come up with broader and longer-term strategy of which training is only one component. Online training is being explored as an option, as well as a virtual space for HCCs to convene and discuss shared concerns and learning. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Framework for the GHC (chaired by AG) guidance on cross cutting issues available via Clusterin-a-Box and GHC website. AG presented the MEAL framework table that summarizes processes/tools currently in place for WHO and Health Clusters to monitor, evaluate, learn and be accountable. NZ gave comments on the table: consider adding assessments; HeRAMS can be done quarterly; health sector response evaluation should be taken out. Additional suggestions by other SAG members will be shared with AG. LD suggested that learning could be extracted from country mission reports from both WHO and partners staff. MS recommended the UNHCR practice of a check list against recommendations to monitor the learning It was recommended that all the tools listed are available in the public domain and the GHC website could be a platform for this. SAG to ask partners to start sharing lessons learned from their mission reports related to CHCs. All Health Clusters should be receiving at least one support visit a year from either WHO, the GHC Unit or one of the GHC partners following an appropriate briefing. SAG & GHCU to send further comments on MEAL framework to AG. Functioning of the Strategic Advisory Group (chaired by PF) LD asked for feedback on SAG functioning and GHCU interaction over the past 6 months. LD reminded the SAG that as per their ToR its function and composition will be reviewed by year end. SAG should always meet before the Partner Meeting or have ad hoc meetings as needed (e.g. strategy development) GHCU to survey SAG members on how they would like the SAG to function the next 6 months, after the Partner Meeting. All SAG members should be tasked with and accountable for the implementation of specific work plan activities. GHCU to follow up with SAG members on the rotation for next year. GHCU to produce a quarterly based report 4

5 to the SAG, including country health cluster status, GHC financial status and any HR needs. SAG conference calls to be organized around thematic/strategic discussions. SAG members to collect information on the status of health clusters in countries, as part of their missions and report back to GHCU. SAG to help GHCU with resource mobilization for the GHC and CHCs. 5