Putting the politics into international public health
We are delighted that Lilian Otiso and Miriam Taegtmeyer will represent us at this event that will take place at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in the UK on the 20 January 2016 14:00 - 16:00 (GMT+00). Those of you tuning in from elsewhere in the world can watch as it is livestreamed.
There has been a surge of interest from donors and the international development community in the concept of adaptive development and what it may look like in different sectors, including health. Adaptive types of programming from the health sector are relatively advanced. As we work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), experiences in health can provide useful lessons for other areas of development. The international health community may not use the label ‘adaptive development’, but many are already conducting adaptive work.
This event brings together experts from the international health and international development communities to present and discuss work on adaptive programming in the health sector, and in particular the tried and tested approach of ‘quality improvement’.
What is quality improvement?
- Quality improvement (QI) is problem-driven, iterative and flexible. The methodology and principles can be used to identify, test and implement changes in any context or part of a health system.
- QI is being used successfully, but there is still limited experience and evidence of how to apply its values and philosophy beyond the project level and embed it within national structures and systems.
- Systems thinking and analysis of the political economy environment may help embed complex interventions like quality improvement and sustain their achievements.
The discussion will aim to stimulate stimulate debate in the following areas:
1. Is QI politically savvy enough to really be considered adaptive development?
2. Working politically – an uncomfortable position for health professionals?
3. How can adaptive programming – such as QI – be embedded in national health systems?
4. QI is often instigated by donor projects, does locally-led adaptive programming really exist in the health sector?
Contributing Chair:
Tim Kelsall - ODI
Speakers:
Olivia Tulloch – ODI
Lilian Otiso - LVCT Health, Kenya
Miriam Taegtmeyer - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Vicki Doyle - Capacity Development International
Recent news
- Most Significant Change: Community evaluation of programme implementation through stories, 16 December 2015
- Quality improvement cycles to strengthen close-to-community services: REACHOUT reflections, 10 December 2015
- Kenya develops guidelines to strengthen Community Health Dialogue, 7 December 2015
This project is funded by the European Union.