Amref Health Africa hosts transition meeting for SPARC Initiative, converse on Innovative Health Financing in Africa
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 21…The high level meeting hosted by Amref Health Africa in Nairobi brought together key stakeholders including representatives from the Gates Foundation, Africa CDC, Amref country offices and various Ministries of Health across the continent.
The meeting provided a platform to reflect on achievements, share valuable lessons and outline the future of health financing initiatives marking a significant milestone in its ongoing efforts to transform health financing and strategic purchasing across Africa.
“Today’s meeting is more of a transition from the SPARC project to a wider discussion on Amref’s role in supporting African countries. The goal is to ensure that available resources are allocated effectively to improve health outcomes by using evidence in health facilities,” said Boniface Mbuthia, Head of Healthcare Financing at Amref Health Africa.
SPARC Founding Executive Director, Nathaniel Otoo said SPARC has been instrumental in advancing strategic health financing across the continent, focusing on maximizing the impact of available resources.
“When we discuss financing healthcare, the conversation often focuses on getting more money. But equally important is the need to get more value for the money we already have,” he noted.
Amid declining of donor funding for healthcare in Africa, the meeting also called for urgent address for need of innovative solutions.
“In recent years, funding from sources like USAID and European countries has been reduced. We cannot afford to lament this reality; instead, we must find new, innovative funding sources and maximize efficiency in how we purchase healthcare services,” Otoo reiterated.
Subsequently, Amref Health Africa over the past six years has emerged as a leading force in reshaping health system financing and resource allocation across the continent.
Through the Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Centre (SPARC), launched in 2018 in collaboration with Results for Development Amref has worked to enhance the efficiency and equity of health financing with the efforts contributing significantly to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
SPARC’s initiatives have spanned 14 countries which include Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia providing technical assistance, evidence-based policy recommendations and capacity-building support, The program has ensured that health funds are used effectively, payment mechanisms are optimized and policies are informed by reliable data.
In Kenya, SPARC supported reforms in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), improving provider payment systems. In Burkina Faso, it helped align purchasing mechanisms to reduce financing fragmentation.
Furthermore, in Niger State, Nigeria, SPARC conducted strategic purchasing analyses that shaped local health financing policies while Rwanda transitioned its Community-Based Health Insurance system from fee-for-service payments to a capitation-based model with SPARC’s guidance.
