Recently, three HFG Chiefs of Party shared lessons learned in strengthening health finance and governance systems in their countries ‒ Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Haiti ‒ at a brown bag lunch held at the Ronald Reagan Building.

Dr. Desire Boko explained HFG’s support to Cote d’Ivoire’s Office of the Inspection Generale to develop an accountability self-assessment diagnostic tool. Dr. Raymonde Goudou Coffie, the Minister of Health, actively participated in the creation of the tool, which includes 33 indicators covering the building blocks of the health system. HFG also worked with the Ministry of Health to conduct the self-assessment at the central level and in seven health regions.

Ethiopia has conducted five rounds of National Health Accounts (NHA) since 2000. Mr. Leulseged Ageze discussed HFG’s role in the fifth NHA as well as the Federal Ministry of Health’s noteworthy commitment to utilize the findings for health financing reform and to institutionalize the NHA so that it can be conducted on a regular basis. Mr. Ageze also highlighted the progress of 13 pilot community-based health insurance schemes. Based on initial successes and with the support of HFG, the Government of Ethiopia has decided to scale-up the schemes to an additional 161 districts.

In Haiti, HFG has worked with the Directorate of Budget and Administration of the Ministry of Health to strengthen their public financial management (PFM) capacity. Marie-Jeanne Offossedescribed HFG’s support to date. After analyzing the current PFM system, HFG and the accounting unit of the directorate reviewed the Ministry of Finance requirements and designed a framework and process for the reporting of financial information from health facilities.