Course announcement

The World Health Organization is pleased to announce its first Advanced Course on Health Financing for Universal Coverage for low and middle income countries to be held from 16-20 June 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya. This week-long advanced training program is based on the Barcelona Course on Health Financing currently offered by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, with new materials developed to reflect the context of low and middle income countries globally, and is being generously supported by the Japanese Government and UNDP.

Course content

The course is structured around the different elements of health financing policy and their role in improving health system performance, in particular progressing towards universal health coverage. Reaching households outside the formal sector is an important theme of the course, which is built around the following core topics:

• Raising revenues – opportunities and constraints
• Pooling health revenues – the cost of fragmentation
• Purchasing – more health for the money through payment reforms
• Designing a benefit package – equity, affordability and transparency
• Health financing and public finance management – enabling implementation
• Coordinating reform – aligning policy instruments with policy objectives

Target groups

The course is designed for policy makers, advisors and analysts in the health and social sectors, senior managers of service provider organizations and health insurance funds, and other relevant actors in government (e.g. finance ministries, Parliamentarians), the private sector and civil society. This is an advanced course and participants are expected to have extensive and relevant work experience and knowledge of health financing policy, and previous training in health systems and policy (e.g. participation in a Flagship Course). This course will be delivered exclusively in English.

Faculty

The faculty will be comprised of both core trainers and guest keynote speakers, reflecting diverse experience in health financing, and will include:

Core training team and keynote speakers

• Joseph Kutzin, Head of Health Financing Policy Team, WHO Geneva
• Matthew Jowett, Senior Health Financing Specialist, WHO Geneva
• Inke Mathauer, Senior Health Financing Specialist, WHO Geneva
• Cheryl Cashin, Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage
• Eduardo Banzon, Regional Advisor, Health Economics and Financing, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
• Tamás Evetovits, Senior Health Financing Specialist & Head a.i. Barcelona Office for Health System Strengthening, WHO European Region
• Viroj Tangcharoensathien, Senior Advisor, International Health Policy Programme, Ministry of Health, Thailand
• Others to be confirmed

Venue

The course will be held in the AMREF International Training Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.

Applications and deadlines

Step 1

Interested candidates complete and submit the online application form available at:

• ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

using the following login information:

• Username = hfcourse2014
• Password = hfcourse2014

The deadline for applications is Friday 4 April 2014. Space will be limited to ensure the effectiveness of the training, and hence not all applicants can be guaranteed a place on the course.

Step 2

A Course Selection Committee will select participants based on a number of criteria including the relevance of the applicant’s current position and work functions, evidence of previous training on health policy and/or systems strengthening, and English language ability. Teams from the same country representing different policy perspectives (e.g. health and finance) are encouraged.

Applicants will be informed of the decision of the Course Selection Committee by email during the week commencing 14 April 2014.

Step 3

Accepted applicants are then requested to confirm their participation by the end ofWednesday 7 May 2014 in order to secure a place on the course, otherwise a waitlisted applicant will be offered a place.

Costs and registration fee

There is no tuition fee to attend the course. However, in order to secure attendance, accepted participants are asked to pay a Registration Fee of USD 100. This fee is non-refundable and payable following the candidate’s acceptance of a place on the course. If a selected participant declines or fails to make payment on time, a waitlisted candidate will be offered the chance to participate in their place.

Participants must cover the cost of travel, accommodation and subsistence whilst in Nairobi. Special rates are being arranged at hotels close to the venue from which daily transport to and from will be provided free of charge. Participants are encouraged to stay in one of the recommended hotels.

WHO covers all other costs related to the organization of the training course which includes course materials, coffee breaks and lunches on each of the five days of the course, plus an evening Dinner Reception.

Visa

Applicants are responsible for obtaining a visa if required. A formal invitation and visa support letter will be provided by WHO. Please note that obtaining a visa may require several weeks; early application is advised.

Contact

Any queries regarding the application process should be sent by email to:
hfcourse2014@who.int