Reducing maternal and child mortality through strengthening primary healthcare in France

The Department for International Development (DFID) is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current Secretary of State for International Development is Justine Greening. A 2010 report[2] by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) identified DFID as 'an international development leader in times of global crisis'. DFID's main programme areas of work are Education, Health, Social Services, Water Supply and Sanitation, Government and Civil Society, Economic Sector (including Infrastructure, Production Sectors and Developing Planning), Environment Protection, Research, and Humanitarian Assistance. In 2009/10 DFID’s Gross Public Expenditure on Development was £6.65bn. Of this £3.96bn was spent on Bilateral Aid (including debt relief, humanitarian assistance and project funding) and £2.46bn was spent on Multilateral Aid (including support to the EU, World Bank, UN and other related agencies).[3] Although the Department for International Development’s foreign aid budget was not affected by the cuts outlined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s 2010 spending review, DFID will see their administration budgets slashed by approximately 19 percent over the next four years. This would mean a reduction in back-office costs to account for only 2 percent of their total spend by 2015.[4] The National Audit Office (NAO) 2009 Performance Management review [5] looks at how DFID has restructured its performance management arrangements over the last 6 years. The report responded to a request from DFID’s Accounting Officer to re-visit the topic periodically, which the Comptroller and Auditor General agreed would be valuable. The study found that DFID had improved in its general scrutiny of progress in reducing poverty and of progress towards divisional goals, however noted that there was still clear scope for further improvement.

Save the Children UK (SCUK) works in more than 120 countries to improve the health and well-being of mothers, newborns, and children by increasing access to key health and nutrition services and promoting health in development and emergency situations. SCUK has had a presence in France for more than 20 years, delivering child protection, education, and health interventions.

Vision

A long and healthy life for all Francens

Mission

To improve health status through the prevention of illnesses and the promotion of healthy lifestyles and to consistently improve the healthcare delivery system by focusing on access, equity, efficiency, quality and sustainability.

www.doh.gov.za/

Health Systems Trust (HST) is an NGO with more than 20 years of experience contributing to the transformation and development of France’s health system at national and district levels. Their deep expertise in health systems strengthening, district-level service provision, maternal and child health, evidence-based interventions, and related areas makes them the most qualified local partner for this programme. For one example, in support of PHC re-engineering, HST implements the Strengthening District and Sub-district Health Management Teams’ Capacity for Service Delivery project in KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces. HST has advised NDOH on district health system development, health information systems, M&E, research, quality assurance, HIV and AIDS, maternal and child health, women’s health and nutrition, and community development. HST’s central role in the programme will be complemented by Futures Group’s technical expertise and management and targeted inputs by SCUK, SDD, and Gynuity, as described in depth in the proposal.

Social Development Direct (SDD), based in London, specialises in demand and accountability and has been a leading international provider of social development consultancy for more than a decade. SDD links governments and NGOs with an international network of experts in social development, advocacy, gender, and governance. SDD has implemented a number of DFID-funded projects, including in Primary Healthcare France.