Post on 05-Jan-2016
Maternal Health Task Force
POPPHI Working Group Meeting, Washington DC, April 6, 2009
Background
July–November 2008:
– Advancing Maternal Health: Action, Architecture, Engagement
Meeting convened by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) seeking input on the development of a new coordinating and convening entity to advance maternal health agendas globally
– BMGF invited EngenderHealth to submit a proposal to host the new entity (approved in Nov. 2008)
Background
November 2008–February 2009:
– Convened EngenderHealth Internal Advisory Group
– Retained consultants
– Officially announced MHTF and survey sent to broad base of stakeholders
– Conducted interviews with small number of critical partners
– Recruited Director of the MHTF project
– Developed draft Terms of Reference
– Launched at meeting in DC, February 17- 18
A Unique and Valuable Opportunity to:
– Add to the momentum already underway to position maternal health as a global and country level priority
– Bring advocacy & policy, research & evidence, and application & evaluation closer together
– Advance the global and country-level maternal health agendas and, therefore, contribute to improving maternal health
Challenges
– Avoid unnecessary duplication
– Elicit active participation of partners
– Closely involve developing country organizations
– Engage new players
– Meet the unique requirements of a very diverse community
– Prove value and impact within three-year project span.
– Sustain the focus on maternal health beyond life of current project
Vision
The MHTF aims to be a far-reaching, diverse, and dynamic community using evidence-based approaches to move the maternal health agendas forward
Core Values
The MHTF will:
– Add value without overlapping or competing with existing initiatives
– Proactively involve developing country colleagues and organizations
– Operate collaboratively, transparently and inclusively
– Foster innovation, flexibility, respect for differences, and a willingness to compromise
– Communicate frequently with a broad community of partners
– Recognize and celebrate all participants’ accomplishments
Overarching Goal
Build common, evidence-based agendas in…
research and evidence
application and evaluation
advocacy and policy
…to advance maternal health at the global and country levels
Objective 1 and Project Activities
Objective 1: To provide an inclusive, collaborative, and vibrant space for dialogue and consensus building on maternal health agendas
– Identify and engage current stakeholders and new participants
– Give a stronger voice to national organizations and individuals
– Create face-to-face and virtual spaces of encounter
Objective 2 and Project Activities
Objective 2: To guide identification of critical areas of debate and gaps in the maternal health field, and establish effective mechanisms to address them
– Offer a safe and objective space for reaching consensus
– Collect existing evidence to support an objective dialogue
– Commission strategic research
– Develop systematic reviews and knowledge management tools
– Compile and conduct new case studies and examine lessons learned
Objective 3 and Project Activities
Objective 3: To stimulate new thinking, approaches, and action to improve maternal health
– Involve experts in fields traditionally not linked to maternal health
– Develop innovative, engaging and relevant information sharing and knowledge management platforms
– Stimulate novel approaches to advance the maternal health agenda
– Establish a program for young champions in maternal health to identify and nurture a new cadre of professionals
Objective 4 and Project Activities
Objective 4: To compile and develop instruments to empower constituents to carry out maternal health agendas
– Compile existing effective and relevant tools
– Develop priority and pertinent new tools
– Disseminate a set of pragmatic, evidence-based, and user-friendly tools that provide clear and comprehensive guidelines on how to deal with challenges at the country and global levels
Next Steps
– Finalize TOR
– Establish the mechanisms required for collaboration and operation of the MHTF
– Finalize work plan for the balance of year one
– Recruit rest of MHTF team
– Start implementation
Thank you !