1. Pacific network for NHA and evidence based policy making - update 4th Technical Review Meeting, Nossal Institute Martina Pellny, WHO DPS, Fiji Melbourne, 10 October 2011 World Health Organization

2. Overview on NHA status Country Groups/ latest NHA report Status Samoa (2006/07) Tonga (2005/06) Fiji (2007/08) Completed between 2-5 rounds and about to complete new round this year; Have institutionalized NHA with teams, budget lines - need mostly specialized support: STATA training, methodology refinement, survey revision, policy briefs etc. FSM (2005/08) Vanuatu (2005, 2007) Kiribati (2007/09 – draft, in approval) Completed 1-2 rounds but with strong support from external consultant – need continuous support from the Pacific network to sustain NHA (missions of technical resource team etc) Solomon Island, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, Palau Have no NHA experience, but some preparatory work from external consultants, however mostly not using the SHA methodology; Tuvalu and Solomon Islands interested

3. Another observation specific to the Pacific Relatively high percentage of external funding for health – thus many donors, with many external experts, undertaking different financial analysis, with various methodologies…

4. Update on the Pacific Network  Aim: to create local regional capacity and skills for NHA and evidence based policy making and to ensure continued methods  At the Nadi meeting in May 2010, CHIPSR was designated as technical resource centre, WHO DPS based in Fiji as the coordinating body  A number of proposals for funding activities have been submitted by WHO and CHIPSR

5. Network set-up WHO CHIPSR With staff from the Pacific, linking with FNU and USP Supporting research institutions: IHP, Nossal Institute, Curtin University, AIHW etc

6. Network TOR/ ongoing activities The network supports…..PICs in a full round of NHA -In-country missions and distance support of team of experts from CHIPSR to NHA country team - or together with experts from one of the international research institutes/ WHO..PICs in preparatory work or upgrade of NHA -Build databases and STATA training -Revise survey questionnaires/ HIES questions -Update NHA classifications/ tables -Establish disease of population related subaccounts -Carry out costing study (inpatient/ outpatient)..PICs to build up capacity in HPPF -Periodic workshops with special topics (overseas referral financing, effective user fee setting, OOPs, monitoring of outsourcing etc) -Fellowships for Master programs, short courses.. PICs to translate NHA results into policy recommendations -Draft policy briefs -Establish policy analysis unit in MoH

7. Thanks New website: http://www.wpro.who.int/southpacific (click on programs/ health financing) With sub-sides on: -Country NHA reports of PICs -Newsletter on activities in the Pacific -Products from the ADB-WHO project on “Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy-Making in the Pacific: Support for the Development of National Health Accounts” that ended in August 2010

8. Products from the ADB-WHO project  Training material can be used beyond the Pacific: 1.Developing health accounts classification and a health accounts database: 2.Scoping of data for development of health accounts 3.Design of surveys with specific reference to private hospitals

9. Products from the ADB-WHO project  Country case studies and studies on the use of NHA: 1.NHA implementation in Pacific Island Countries: the experience of PNG, Samoa and Tonga 2.Why invest in NHA – the Pacific Island Countries View 3.A study on the use of NHA for policy-making in PICS – with recommendations for advocacy and capacity building