Purpose, approach and scope of P4H
The main thrust of P4H efforts is coherent, enhanced support for the creation and extension of sustainable health and social protection systems for UHC/SHP, based on the values of universality and equity.
This means coherent, enhanced support for
- Reducing direct payments (out-of-pocket payments) for health services;
- Raising sufficient funds domestically for health;
- Improving efficiency and equity in the use of resources;
- Harmonizing economic and social objectives;
- Integrating health financing reform with health sector reform, and ensure that the development of national health plans through processes such as the International Health Partnership (IHP+) are consistent with and complement the development of health financing strategies, and vice versa;
- Linking health financing reform with a country’s social protection framework.
Thus, the P4H network aspires to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals 1, 4, 5 and 6.
The scope and approach of P4H:
Applying the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation to UHC/SHP
Advocating for high level commitment. The countries that have come farthest along the road towards UHC share a number of attributes, the most notable being optimal political commitment. The promotion of high level political commitment to and ownership of UHC/SHP initiatives is thus a key aspect of P4H support and a precondition for its successful involvement.
Supporting a strategic approach. Every country faces different challenges, but the basic requirements for a successful transition to UHC/SHP are invariable, starting with effective, equitable and sustainable financing. It is therefore essential that countries committed to UHC/SHP start by developing a national strategy based on the realities of what they can afford, is in line with social and economic development objectives, and builds on a consensus about how to achieve the goals set. P4H members foster the alignment of support in the area of health financing and SHP with national health financing strategies and social protection frameworks.
Supporting a coherent approach. P4H members go the extra mile to provide harmonized support at different levels, bringing together different work streams and messages, creating complementarities and synergies, and promoting a decentralized support model in which interaction between P4H members and governments takes place largely through regional or country-based offices; P4H also works closely with IHP+ to ensure that national health plans and strategies, and national financing plans and strategies for UHC and SHP are consistent and that missions to support countries on these two areas are streamlined.
Developing capacity for UHC/SHP. Experience shows that the capacity of stakeholders at country level is one of the key factors for an accelerated and successful transition towards UHC/SHP. The P4H network strives to move away from isolated capacity building activities to a structured and systematic capacity development approach that links human resource development with institutional and organisational development.
In summary, P4H country support includes
- Provision of coherent technical support for the development and implementation of policies and strategies for UHC/SHP;
- Supporting capacity development for UHC/SHP;
- Facilitating stakeholder participation and change processes, networking and alliance-building;
- Facilitating international and regional collaboration and inter-country exchange;
- Mobilizing additional financial and technical resources for UHC/SHP;
- Advocating for the right of access to quality health care and financial risk protection.