APPENDIX 3: INSTRUCTION LETTER TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON REVOLVING DRUG FUNDS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, ASIA REGION
Myanmar, 21-23 October 1996
Dear Participants,
Following up on previous correspondence about the Myanmar conference, we would like to share with you some details about the way the conference will be conducted and what will be expected of you. We are certain there has been much progress since the last conference in Tokyo, and in many countries new issues and challenges have emerged as a result of the implementation and expansion of the RDF programs.
The aim of the second conference for the Asian countries is to review progress in the implementation of the RDF programs and recommendations from the first conference, to develop plans of actions in the specified operational areas, and to make recommendations.
For this conference, because various countries are at difference stages in program and recommendation implementation, each country is requested to include in their report to the second conference an explanation of progress made against program objectives since the Tokyo conference, focusing on the country specific areas listed below. The report should also include issues, challenges and future plans. Also included should be a brief section on progress made towards implementing the recommendations from the first conference. We hope that the reports will not dwell solely on the usual details such as geography, demography, health status indicators and the general policies and political intentions of the MOH.
The country specific areas are as follows:
Cambodia
○ Plan of action for the implementation of the RDF program, including program management structure and governance of the project
Laos
○ Plan of action for the implementation of the RDF program, including program management structure and governance of the project building on the guidelines recently developed
Mongolia
○ Presentation of the results of the pilot projects in Arhangai and Bulgan and the plan of action for scaling up
○ Description of the proposed replenishment system for the RDFs and the role of Mongolemimpex and the private sector
Myanmar
○ Description of the operation of the RDF program in terms of the “revolving” of the funds
○ Extent and scope of control exercised by community RDF committees or relevant community organizations in the allocation and use of locally generated financial resources from the health facilities and RDF operations
○ Description of the replenishment system(s) to support the RDFs
○ Plan and time frame for scaling up the RDF program to include a larger proportion of the population
Nepal
○ Presentation of the project document describing the plan for the revised second phase of the Community Drug Project
○ Summary of progress to date the Community Drug Project
Vietnam
○ Description of the overall supervision and monitoring system with particular reference to supporting RDFs at the commune level
○ Integration of the RDF program into PHC and the mainstream of the MOH program
○ Effects of RDFs on district and commune health care services
○ Future directions to support and extend the RDF approach in light of recent significant progress, building on the recent annual project review, and including a plan of action with time frames for expansion to other provinces in the next phase
To further assist each country team in the preparation of the above report, a draft outline report format for regular reporting in the future is being included. Please use this draft to select the questions and indicators listed to help you prepare the presentations for the conference. In the process, please also assess the content and format of the draft and provide feedback about its usefulness as a basis for future regular progress reports. This draft format will also be discussed during the working group sessions for adoption as the basis for future progress reports.
The conference will be structured as follows:
The opening session
A plenary session for country reports presented in accordance with the guidelines mentioned above, which will be interspersed with questions and followed by discussion at the end of all the presentations
Working group sessions involving country teams covering the following areas:
○ Monitoring and supervision
○ Performance of the RDFs
○ Community control of locally generated revenues as a result of the health services and RDFs
○ Scaling up from pilot and first phases
○ Integration of primary health care services at various levels as a consequence of the RDF program
A plenary where each country team will make a presentation of its plan of action or list of activities that would be carried out during the next year, including the approximate budgets/costs involved. Each presentation will be followed by discussion
A final plenary where a list of recommendations from the various groups will be presented for review and endorsement
A closing session
Detailed guidelines and suggestions for the working group sessions will be provided to each participant as part of the registration package.
The conference, it is hoped, is both an opportunity to report where your country program is, as well as a forum to plan where your program wants to be, within a framework of exchange of experiences and lessons learned.
We look forward to a stimulating and instructive conference.
Best wishes,
Kinya Narabayashi
Manager
Department of International Affairs
The Nippon Foundation
