In the complex landscape of Tanzania’s health sector, the Health Basket Fund (HBF) has stood as a pivotal mechanism since 1999, orchestrating systemic improvements and promoting government ownership. As Tanzania transitioned towards its fifth Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V), we at Scenarium, on behalf of GIZ’s BACKUP initiative, played a critical role in delineating the framework for an updated MoU, aiming to optimize the health financing architecture.
Salient Aspects of Our Contribution:
- Blueprint for Global Financing Mechanisms Integration: While the actual integration is a long-term objective, our work primarily centered on providing a roadmap for the potential involvement of eminent global entities such as the Global Fund, Gavi, and the Global Financing Facility (collectively termed the 3Gs). These entities, with their distinct commitments to advancing universal health coverage, could significantly augment the reach and efficiency of the HBF if integrated in the future.
- In-depth Analysis of Funding Scenarios: A core component of our contribution was conducting a comprehensive exploration of the health sector. We evaluated potential funding scenarios and their projected impacts. This entailed rigorous document reviews and insightful stakeholder interviews at both the national and international levels.
- Crafting Targeted Advocacy Documents: Anchored by our analyses, we formulated advocacy materials tailored to address the Tanzanian government and HBF partners. These documents serve as a guideline, outlining the prospective benefits and strategies of integrating global financing mechanisms into Tanzania’s health financing landscape.
- Recommendation for an M&E Toolkit: As a forward-looking proposal, we suggested the development of a Monitoring & Evaluation toolkit. This toolkit is envisaged to monitor and evaluate potential contributions from the Global Fund to the HBF, highlighting the value-addition of this collaborative approach over conventional funding methodologies.
Our engagement was centered around offering strategic direction through the MoU development. By laying down a clear blueprint and fostering informed dialogue, we aim to pave the way for more robust and collaborative health infrastructure for Tanzania in the coming years.
