24 May 2013
My New Project – AIPHSS
At the end of November 2012, Coffey mobilised as the Implementing Services Provider (ISP) for the AusAID supported Government of Indonesia (GoI) led initiative to strengthen the health system in Indonesia. In March 2013 the Team moved to their permanent office accommodation in Jakarta which they share with the Coffey Corporate Office.
Most recent AusAID funded health sector program in Indonesia.
The Australian Indonesia Partnership for Health Systems Strengthening (AIPHSS) is the most recent AusAID funded health sector program in Indonesia. The design of AIPHSS is based upon the World Health Organisation’s approach to Health Systems Strengthening, and is the first of AusAID’s programs in Indonesia to be on-budget off-treasury and harmonised with GoI systems. AIPHSS aims to address systemic weaknesses in the Indonesian health system regarding health financing and health work force planning and management to deliver quality primary health care, especially for the poor and near poor and those in remote areas. It is a long term commitment to Indonesia with a four years plus five timeframe for implementation which provides opportunities for partners and stakeholders to plan for sustained support and institutional change.
AIPHSS will achieve its program objectives through the provision of technical assistance (TA); conducting operational research; provision of data and evidence to policy makers; and building the capacity of health planners, managers and service providers to overcome health systems bottlenecks in health financing and health work force management. The program will seek synergies with other AusAID supported programs, including the Coffey managed Australia Indonesia Partnership for Maternal and Neonatal Health (AIPMNH).
As the ISP, Coffey supports the Program Management Unit (PMU) which is based in the Indonesian Ministry of Health’s Planning and Budgeting. The PMU are responsible for overall coordination, management and reporting for AIPHSS. The ISP supports the PMU by providing management and operational services, procurement of Technical Assistance and provision of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Communications services. The program will eventually work in five provinces and 20 districts, but will begin with four districts in each of the provinces of Nusa Tengara Timur (NTT) and Jawa Timur (JATIM):
• Sumba Barat Daya, Ngada, Flores Timur and Timor Tengah Utara in NTT;
• Situbondo, Bondowoso, Sampang and Bangkalan in JATIM
How does AIPHSS communicate for results?
AIPHSS has a dedicated and unique focus upon communications: this program pays serious attention to their communications strategy, and the design shows promise for supporting efforts to bring about sustained change to the Indonesian health system. The Program’s strategy doesn’t solely try to communicate results for wider Program visibilities and awareness, but also looks to communicate for development results. It applies an ‘Evidence-Informed Health Policymaking’ approach. The approach aims to ensure that decision making is well-informed by the best available research evidence and will become a significant stimulus for productive interaction between researcher and health policymaking entities. The AIPHSS Communications Strategy provides an interactive platform to not only make sure the research evidence is available to health policymaking entities but also to strengthen the cooperation/interaction between both researchers and policy makers.
“There are at least two identified reasons why Health Systems Strengthening issue is not sexy for media coverage in Indonesia; firstly is due to lack of understanding of the issue (this is the trigger) and secondly is lack of interest in the issue itself for both media and public” (Syalomi Natalia, AIPHSS Communications Officer)
The Strategy also provides adequate space and budget to attract and maintain public and media attention using two mechanisms; firstly by inviting and including local/national media in the program field visits/events, and secondly to request local/national media to facilitate program related discussion/event, such as policy briefing or research seminar.
In terms of raising program profile, during the last few months, AIPHSS has produced a number of publications such as briefing packages, bulletins, and is launching the program website (www.aiphss.org ). AIPHSS has also participated in two national scale exhibitions in Jakarta and Jawa Timur during the National Health Working meeting (Rakerkesnas 2013). In Jawa Timur, AIPHSS had an opportunity to directly brief The Minister of Health, Dr Nafsiah Mboi, Sp.A, MPH regarding the AIPHSS progress.
