Abstract
Facilitating Multisectoral Coordination and Engagement for Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Sustainability: From Concept to Implementation
APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo
Context: To sustain and accelerate progress made in the control and elimination of neglected tropical disease (NTDs), national NTD programs (NTDPs) must be integrated and mainstreamed into existing health platforms, systems, and infrastructure. Multisectoral coordination within and beyond the health sector contributes to the sustainability of health programs, improves cost-effectiveness, and expands geographical reach. This presentation will highlight the consultation process of USAID's Act to End NTDs | West sustainability approach in prioritizing multisectoral coordination to achieve NTD sustainability milestones.
Methods: The five-phase NTD sustainability approach begins with engaging intra- and inter-sectoral stakeholders through sensitization meetings to illustrate the mutual benefits gained from the elimination and control of NTDs and garner buy-in. Phase 2 involves landscape, financial, and stakeholder analyses, using interviews and qualitative and quantitative data, to identify cross-sector stakeholders, priorities, barriers, and opportunities for coordination and partnerships. In Phase 3, the results of the analyses are used to guide the establishment of multisectoral coordination mechanisms and develop a Sustainability Plan. The Sustainability Plan is implemented in Phase 4 and evaluated and reiterated throughout Phase 5.
Outcomes: Eight NTDPs have moved through the first three phases of the sustainability process. NTDPs engaged cross-sector stakeholders through a series of activities that culminated in the national Sustainability Plans. Through engagement and leveraging of decentralized governance, national stakeholders identified opportunities to incorporate NTDs into existing national health sector planning strategies and reflected in budgets or policies. To streamline technical oversight of NTD interventions, NTDPs operationalized cross-sector coordination mechanisms designed to support the transition from siloed disease-specific programming and strengthen cross-cutting approaches. Five NTDPs have established multisector coordination mechanisms such as the Intra-Country Coordination Committee (Ghana), Partners Network Forum (Sierra Leone), National Committee for the fight against NTDs (Senegal), NTD Intersectoral Coalition-CMLMTN (Niger), and the National Multisectoral Coordination Committee (Mali).
Conclusion: Understanding what stimulates engagement across sectors is critical in building strong partnerships and enhancing coordination as disease programs move towards sustainability goals. The NTD sustainability approach has demonstrated that involving diverse actors can strengthen domestic resource mobilization and influence mainstreaming policies and strategies that strengthen NTD intervention and health systems from the central to local levels.