The Synergos Global Development Alliance (GDA) is a USG/Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)-private sector partnership that aims to strengthen leadership and performance within the MOHSS to achieve its maternal and child health and nutrition targets. This partnership, envisioned over three years, entails a total USG contribution of $1,000,000 and a private sector contribution of at least $1,215,000 from various entities. This GDA works towards the national policy of decentralization as well as the GHI principles of systems strengthening, resource mobilization and transition.

In COP12, the Synergos GDA will focus on: 1) National level: capacity building to support most senior leaders of the MOHSS to performance-manage progress on Ministrys plans and goals; and 2) Regional level: Expand regional delivery units (RDU) to the remaining ten regions over three years. RDU are high-performance units that drive policy implementation and coordinate service delivery. In the past, these units have led to reduced waiting times in ANC clinics and decreased congestion at referral hospitals.

Cost-efficiencies will be realized through the use of MOHSS structures and in-kind contributions of direct costs (such as staff time, workshops and data). Sustainability and transition is rooted in the projects use of RDU, conceived as permanent structures institutionalized within the Ministry, and efforts to engage senior leadership to create the enabling environment for more rapid progress on health indicators. A joint MOHSS monitoring and evaluation plan will be developed that focuses on developing and refining systems for utilizing data effectively and efficiently to enable informed data-driven decisions.

No vehicle purchases envisaged.

This is a continuing activity that leverages domestic and international resources to the amount of $1,343,499 over three years. USAID funding is expected to reach $1,000,000 over three years, pending the availability of funds. This initiative brings new contributory partners to the health sector in Namibia; it includes the Synergos Institute, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Containers to Clinics (C2C), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the First National Bank (FNB) Foundation.

Activities will focus on both the national and regional level as described below. They will also facilitate better targeting of health services to pediatric health needs and nutrition related goals. The activities will also link to and support the Namibian Alliance for Improved Nutrition (NAFIN), Regional Councils, and Regional AIDS Coordination Committees of which Synergos is a founding member and serves as the secretariat for NAFIN.

Support will be provided to MOHSS senior leaders to implement strategy and establish a clear direction for the Namibian public health system to more effectively achieve national maternal and child health and nutrition goals. This will be achieved by working with, and building the capacity of, senior MOHSS officials, national political leaders, coordinating bodies, and others, to provide the leadership push, management support, policy and budget adjustments, and political will required for improved maternal and child health outcomes.

Activities will also work to strengthen Regional Delivery Units (RDU) within the public health system that will coordinate actions and performance management toward achieving national maternal and child health and nutrition goals. At present, regional health departments are not organized effectively to deliver results on key performance targets. This activity involves establishing high-performance units at the regional level, RDU, to drive policy implementation and coordinate effective service delivery. RDU would centralize regional accountability for improving maternal child health into a single, authorized entity within the MOHSS. A prototype of this structure has already been tested with success in the Khomas Region and known to have reduced waiting times for ANC visits and alleviated the patient flow at hospitals through better streamlining and referral processes. The RDU will help to lay the foundation for replicable systems change, on issues such as malnutrition in teen pregnancies, low birth weight babies, the role of traditional birth attendants and redeploying existing health facilities for maternal and child health service delivery.

To build regional capacity to design and implement innovative, frontline projects for addressing maternal and child health and nutrition, the Alliance will address key drivers and critical blockages of maternal and child health and nutrition. Current innovations include a research initiative managed by the Mother, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) working group in the MoHSS to test the application of micro-nutrients (sprinkles) to improve the nutritional value of supplementary feeding practices for mothers and infants.

This activity is linked to MTCT.

This is a new budget code which supports transition. Under this the OHSS budget code, this public private partnership (PPP) through Synergos will utilize COP13 funding to continue to complete the following objectives: (1) Strengthen Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) senior leadership ability to implement strategy and establish a clear direction for the Namibian public health system to more effectively achieve national maternal and child health (MCH) and nutrition goals; (2) Establish at least ten Regional Delivery Units (RDU) within the public health system that will coordinate actions and manage performance towards achieving MCH and nutrition goals; and (3) Build regional capacity to design and implement innovative, frontline projects for addressing MCH and nutrition. As a Global Development Alliance (GDA), Synergos leverages a 1:1 financial match between PEPFAR and private sector funds.

The overall aim of this activity is to strengthen the Namibian public health system and its capacities for achieving its MCH and nutrition targets. In an effort to overcome barriers to accessing MCH and nutrition services, Synergos is investing in establishing RDU that will improve access, quality, and strengthen the MOHSS service delivery systems. This activity will implement programming at the national and regional levels.

For COP13, Synergos will establish at least three new RDU (they have already established seven) and launch regional innovations based on data-driven analyses and locally-identified priorities. Synergos, in collaboration with MOHSS and stakeholders, will designed and implemented by the existing seven RDUs (already established); there will be three new innovations associated with the new RDU. Innovations will follow the methodology of identifying key clinical challenges in each new region, doing a diagnostic (informed by data) and designing an intervention. Support to each RDU to convene at least one meeting a month to manage the performance of the respective innovations.

Synergos will also build the capacity of senior and emerging leaders with the MOHSS and Namibian public health system. Synergos will design and convene two Leadership Forum sessions to engage a mix of current senior leaders and identified emerging leaders.

This narrative is linked to activities under MTCT. No cross-cutting attribution. No motor vehicle, construction, or renovation envisaged.

This is a continuing activity that leverages domestic and international resources to the amount of $1,343,499 over three years. USAID funding is expected to reach $1,000,000 over three years pending the availability of funds. This initiative brings new contributory partners to the health sector in Namibia; it includes the Synergos Institute, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Containers to Clinics (C2C), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the First National Bank (FNB) Foundation.

Activities under this budget code will focus on both the national and regional level; in doing so, they will build the capacity of health managers to deliver and sustain effective and efficient maternal health care, inclusive of PMTCT and post-natal care services, in the public sector.

Support will be provided to strengthen the ability of Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) senior leaders to implement strategy and establish a clear direction for the Namibian public health system to more effectively achieve national maternal and child health and nutrition goals, including PMTCT. This will be achieved by working with, and building the capacity of, senior MoHSS officials, national political leaders, coordinating bodies, and others, to provide the leadership push, management support, policy and budget adjustments, and political will required for improved maternal and child health outcomes.

Activities will also work to strengthen Regional Delivery Units (RDU) within the public health system that will coordinate actions and performance management toward achieving national maternal and child health and nutrition goals. At present, regional health departments are not organized effectively to deliver results on key performance targets. This activity involves establishing high-performance units at the regional level, RDU, to drive policy implementation and coordinate effective service delivery. RDU will centralize regional accountability for improving maternal child health into a single, authorized entity within the MOHSS. A prototype of this structure has already been tested with success in the Khomas Region and is known to have reduced waiting times for ANC visits and alleviated the patient flow at hospitals through better streamlining and referral processes. The RDU will help to lay the foundation for replicable systems change, on issues such as malnutrition in teen pregnancies, low birth weight babies, PMTCT, the role of traditional birth attendants and redeploying existing health facilities for maternal and child health service delivery.

To build regional capacity, to design and implement innovative, frontline projects for addressing maternal and child health and nutrition, the Alliance will address key drivers and critical blockages of maternal and child health and nutrition. With respect to maternal health, a number of regions are designing innovations around improved access to services in un/under-serviced areas. For example the Ohangwena and Oshana RDU are busy translating key health messages in Oshiwambo to be broadcast on Ohangwena Radio. The messages vary, but amongst these are messages to educate expectant mothers about the benefits of early and regular ANC visits that will greatly benefit the mothers with regard to PMTCT. The past deployment of a container clinic in Erongo Region deals with a similar issue of improved access to services, inclusive of PMTCT and nutrition.

This activity is linked to PDC