Governments world-wide are facing critical issues in the healthcare sector, including escalating costs to deliver basic health services, a resurgence of infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, an HIV/AIDS pandemic, and declining public funding to meet the healthcare needs of their citizens, employees and constituents.
In response to these challenges international aid agencies are supporting important reform programmes to modernise public health systems. This is being achieved through new internal structures and processes, devolution of decision-making authority to local bodies and communities, and by forming partnerships with the private sector to achieve efficiencies and improvements in service delivery.
PA has extensive expertise working with international agencies, public health organisations and the private sector to strengthen their institutional capabilities and to develop effective public policies for implementing successful healthcare programmes. Our consultants bring a wealth of industry experience in:
- health financing and economics
- financial and operational planning
- legal and regulatory assessments
- research and data analysis
- health management information systems
- monitoring and evaluation of health sector programmes.
PA's international healthcare services
As a result of PA's work in more than 50 developing countries and economies in transition, our international healthcare expertise includes:
- developing and implementing healthcare reform policies
- assisting governments to improve service delivery performance
- applying information and technology solutions to deliver change
- implementing innovative partnerships with the private sector
- developing tools for managing and analysing data
- providing program management expertise and technical assistance.
Our experience in assisting development aid agencies includes:
USAID: Global Health Private Sector Program
PA participates in a broad consortium of consulting firms to provide technical assistance and programme implementation services to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and client organisations. The USAID Global Health Private Sector Program (PSP) is a five-year, $395 million project that leverages the private health sector in developing countries to accomplish social objectives by establishing and utilising partnerships among private firms, NGOs and government agencies. Under this mechanism PA provides support on health policy issues, market penetration for new health products and services, innovative financing schemes, and development of public-private partnerships.
USAID and PROSALUD: evaluation of health endowment
PA was contracted by USAID in Bolivia to evaluate a large financial endowment provided to PROSALUD, the largest healthcare NGO in the country. The objectives of the review were to assess the endowment’s financial performance and to determine whether it had generated sufficient financial resources to enable PROSALUD to further its social mission. In particular, PA analysed the extent to which the endowment allowed PROSALUD to subsidise services to poor and vulnerable populations. PA also evaluated the endowment’s fiduciary management, internal investment policies, and whether it followed USAID contractual and regulatory requirements.
CARE International: review of Economic Livelihood Programs for HIV/AIDS
For CARE International in Malawi, PA conducted an 'Economic Pathways' review on how social protection and safety net programmes can be transformed into longer-term sustainable livelihood strategies to benefit people living with HIV/AIDS. The effort was part of a broader CARE regional research programme funded by the Gates Foundation into socio-economic impacts and policy implications of recent food crisis on livelihood and HIV/AIDS programmes.
Affordable Medicines for Africa (AMFA): sustainable solutions to its healthcare problems
For many decades Africa has been the recipient of both public and private charity. While these efforts have been necessary, well intentioned and beneficial, the health of the African continent, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, remains in a terrible condition. Affordable Medicines for Africa (AMFA) has been one of the leading voices presenting the case that it is time Africa is helped to help itself, by enabling the infrastructure necessary for sustainable solutions to its healthcare problems.
As a result AMFA is spearheading an effort to secure public and private funding to enhance and expand the existing capacity to produce and distribute high quality, low cost essential medicines on a timely basis from and within Africa. In support of this objective, AMFA has requested technical support from PA Consulting Group. See the link to our article 'An African solution to an African problem' which presents the key issues, along with the framework for a pilot project designed to seed a rational and sustainable solution.
Further information
For further information please e-mail: healthcare@paconsulting.com
