On 7 February 2005 the Dutch NGO HealthNet TPO – with Headquarters in Amsterdam - received from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs a subsidy for:

"A regional programme focusing on rehabilitation of basic health services in three post-conflict countries in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa with an emphasis on malaria, sexual & reproductive health and HIV/AIDS."

The subsidy was granted under the Theme-based Co-funding scheme (Thematische Mede Financiering; TMF).

The Healthnet TPO Regional Office Kampala was set up in September 2005 to coordinate the implementation of the programme in the Region. It consists of a Programme Manager, a Public Health expert and a Finance & Administration expert plus staff for logistics support. The office is located just off Ggaba road in Kampala, in the TPO-Uganda compound.

With the programme we are aiming at a comprehensive rehabilitation of essential health services with ample attention for SRH, HIV/AIDS and Malaria. The common approach of the programme allows for detailed intervention strategies designed to suit local needs and conditions and maximize local ownership. Our regional team – based in Kampala – provides technical and managerial support, our country-based teams are charged with the operational support. Integral part of the approach is to enhance (inter-country) innovative learning processes, introduce Performance Based Financing mechanisms in health care delivery and disseminate regional experience and knowledge in health systems development.

The programme contributes to efforts aiming at peace and reconciliation within the Great Lakes Region. It also contributes to poverty reduction in some of the world’s poorest countries and it contributes to reaching the Millennium Development Goals. The programme engages in partnerships at a local level, reinstating Governmental capacity to sustain adequate health services with an emphasis on community and IDP / refugee access to a basic health care package. The programme is currently being implemented in:

Burundi, Kibuye ‘secteur de Santé’, Gitega Province
In collaboration with the ‘Bureau Provincial de Santé (BPS)’ HealthNet TPO rehabilitates 10 health centers and 1 referral hospital in order to re-establish basic health services delivery to the community. In the second phase of the programme a system of performance based financing was introduced (as an alternative to input financing) so to achieve a sustainable situation. This was done in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MPS). Currently the programme is integrating basic mental health services into the regular primary health care infrastructure and installing a referral system.

DR Congo, Butembo ‘zone de Santé’, Nord-Kivu
The ‘Bureau Central de Zone de Santé (BCZS)’ currently supervises – with support from HealthNet TPO - 25 centers that are being rehabilitated and of which 15 centers have been contracted for a package of basic health services delivery. In the year 2007 all centers will have a service contract and the physical rehabilitation is expected to be finalized. An assessment will be carried out for the integration of basic mental health into the regular primary health care.

South Sudan, Mapel, Wau (Jur River) County, Western Bahr el-Ghazal State
In South Sudan HealthNet TPO currently supports 1 health center (PHCC, Mapel) and 2 health units (PHCU, Chono and Midel). In 2007 2 or 4 PHCU (Umbili, Kwajena, Acumcum and Bararud) will be added, depending on co-funding. Our support concerns (managerial) capacity building, supply of medicines, (paramedical) training and physical rehabilitation of facilities. Small scale introduction of the contracting approach for health services is planned for in 2007 as well as a start of psychosocial services delivery. The works are carried out in close collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMOH) in Wau, following health policies from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in Juba.