SUPPORT-SYSTEMS (9) Q1 What does civil society participation in health policy mean? Why is it important? (2)

9 May, 2022

Dear HIFA colleagues,

Thank you for joining us for our 4-week discussion, which starts officially today.

By way of introduction, here are the opening paragraphs of the HIFA project page:

https://www.hifa.org/projects/new-support-systems-how-can-decision-makin...

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Can decision-making processes for health systems strengthening and universal health coverage be made more inclusive, responsive and accountable?

HIFA is contributing to a major research project: Supporting inclusive and accountable health systems decisions in Ghana and Kenya for universal health coverage (SUPPORT-SYSTEMS). The project is a collaboration between the University of Ghana, the Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the University of Oslo, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Healthcare Information for All (HIFA) global forums.

This 3-year project will explore the question ‘How can decision-making processes for health systems strengthening and universal health coverage be made more inclusive, responsive and accountable?’ We will focus on the extent to which actively involving civil society voices and other stakeholders can humanise decision-making processes for UHC and promote equity. Our project is situated within the discourses around complex policymaking processes for health systems, informing these processes with evidence, and fostering civil society’s agency and participation within these processes.

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In this first week we invite comments around Question 1:

Q1 WHAT DOES CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN HEALTH POLICY MEAN? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

We use the term 'civil society' widely to include not just NGOs and faith-based organisations, but also community groups, patient associations, and professional associations (and more). We are especially interested in civil society at the national, subnational and local levels, although we recognise that international civil society organisations can also play a major role in national policymaking.

'Participation of civil society in decision-making processes about UHC is viewed to have multiple benefits for the process and outcomes of policy choices.' WHO. (2021). Voice, agency, empowerment: Handbook on social participation for universal health coverage. https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1356347/

Here is an extract from Dr Tedros' Foreword to the WHO handbook: "The road to UHC thus runs through a strong, bold, and unwavering government engagement with communities, especially the most vulnerable. At the heart of that engagement is a participatory space for health that allows for meaningful dialogue and debate, and serves to amplify the voices of those to whom the health system belongs – its users."

Our discussion over the next 4 weeks will help inform future efforts to engage civil society in evidence-informed policymaking. We look forward to your comments and reflections. As usual, please send be email to: hifa@hifaforums.org

Best wishes, Neil

Joint Coordinator, HIFA SUPPORT-SYSTEMS

https://www.hifa.org/projects/new-support-systems-how-can-decision-makin...

Let's build a future where every person has access to reliable healthcare information and is protected from misinformation - Join HIFA: www.hifa.org

HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is global coordinator of the HIFA global health movement (Healthcare Information For All - www.hifa.org ), a global community with more than 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting on six global forums in four languages in official relations with WHO. HIFA brings stakeholders together to accelerate progress towards universal access to reliable healthcare information.

Twitter: @hifa_org neil@hifa.org