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NEWS April 15, 2024

Bridging Knowledge Frontiers: The Role of JLN’s Strategic Communication for UHC Planning Tool

JLN Network Manager

Authors:Oswald Essuah-Mensah, Rahul S Reddy Kadarpeta , James Soki, Isha Sharma JLN’s technical initiatives are meticulously crafted to foster knowledge exchanges that adeptly address the priorities and needs of the member countries. These engagements embody practitioner-to-practitioner and cross-country learning, skillfully facilitated by technical experts and revered thought leaders. The focus is on delving into specific thematic issues, culminating in collective problem-solving endeavours. The result is a global knowledge product, curated from innovative ideas and best practices from tacit knowledge of the policymakers and practitioners transcending geographical boundaries. This transformative process empowers participating leaders to navigate the intricacies of healthcare challenges with a comprehensive global perspective. It not only fosters a profound sense of solidarity but also cultivates a shared commitment to the discourse on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). JLN has so far produced 45 plus knowledge products in over a decade, and in more than 30 instances these have been adapted and implemented to address health systems issues in countries. Strategic Communication for Universal Health Coverage: Planning Tool is one such knowledge product. This tool was an output of a JLN Learning Exchange “Institutionalizing Explicit National Priority Setting Learning Processes” developed by the JLN member countries in collaboration with the Health Finance and Governance (HFG) Project, with funding from the USAID. It was developed drawing lessons and experiences from eight-member countries including Ghana to help UHC policy champions and communicators in the design of comprehensive strategic communication plans. It guides communicators through a structured plan, outlining process and includes guiding questions specifically related to strategic communication for UHC. The tool was adapted and implemented by the Ghana National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in the country for the design of comprehensive strategic communication plans for the digitalization of member registration for expanding population coverage. NHIA was established under the National Health Insurance Act 2003, Act 650, later revised to ACT 2012, Act 852 with a mission to ensure basic healthcare services for all residents. It has the function of securing the implementation of a national health insurance policy that ensures access to basic healthcare services to all residents to attain universal health insurance coverage. Enrollment or registration of eligible households is an integral and crucial part of expanding coverage. This requires simplifying enrollment procedures, information campaigns, subsidies, user-friendly registration processes, and community engagement. Tailoring these strategies to Ghana country context and fostering collaboration between the NHIA with various stakeholders was vital for success. Learnings from several countries suggest that digital technological innovations could bridge access gaps and streamline the registration or enrollment process. As part of expanding population coverage, in December of 2022, the NHIA embarked on a digitalization of member registration. The MyNHIS App was developed to align with the government’s digitalization agenda. This underscores a commitment to leveraging technology to enhance healthcare delivery and accessibility, aiming to boost membership and advance towards UHC. Research had proven that some barriers to enrolment included the distance of registration points to members, and long queues that had to be navigated to enable new registrations or renewals. The cornerstone of this digitalization drive was the seamless integration of mobile and app-based platforms for member registration and renewal. With the implementation of the project planned from September 2021 to December 2021, it was important to ensure proper communication to the different stakeholders not limited to citizens, residents, healthcare providers and civil society organizations.   “Ghana being a member of the JLN since 2010, tapped into the JLN Knowledge products database and identified the Strategic Communication for Universal Health Coverage: Planning Tool. This tool provided a comprehensive framework for crafting strategic communication plans, tailored to promote digital products and services crucial for achieving UHC.” The communication strategy centered on convenience, speed, and empowerment of individuals through cell phones (for mobile renewals) and smartphones for the APP users. The communication was designed to fortify and amplify the policy, and digital innovations designed to attain UHC in Ghana. The intervention was presented as a new product to ensure convenience to members for efficient, convenient, and faster registration. The tool was modified and tailored towards marketing digital products and services offered by the scheme. Some of these were – the mobile renewal of membership (*929#) and the mobile app (MyNHIS App) for new registration, renewals, and linkage with the national Ghana Card) and for use with third parties as well. A major part of the tool was used especially with the illustrative communication channels where key messages were passed on to both primary and secondary audiences using traditional electronic media and the new media (social media channel) NHIA’s strategy unfolded in several well-orchestrated steps, from identifying the technological gaps to setting up a dedicated project team, and from developing culturally resonant key messages to piloting and large-scale rollout. A significant aspect of this strategy was the local translation of key messages, ensuring inclusivity and understanding across Ghana’s diverse linguistic landscape. The identification of key messengers, such as the corporate affairs directorate and regional and district Public Relation Officers, was crucial in conveying these messages effectively. As shown in figure 1.Fig 1: NHIA Strategy Implementation Journey: Steps and Key Components. The tool was detailed and easy to adopt at the country level. It highlights the importance of sustaining effective communication and government support in driving UHC. The mobile renewal service in Ghana has since won three prestigious awards and serves as the most convenient means to actively stay on the NHIS for about 80% of the members. The Mobile App has over 77,000 people signing up for themselves and third parties since its launch in December 2022. NHIA plans to use the tool as a communication guide to the NHIS as the scheme continues to develop new digital inventions to drive its membership. JLN’s exemplary support to member country-driven knowledge exchange including adapting and implementing knowledge products advance the mission towards UHC. The transformative journey of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) exemplifies the power of knowledge exchange and strategic communication in driving policy initiatives towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

NEWS April 5, 2024

Celebrating Women Leaders Inspiring Contribution Towards Advancing Universal Health Coverage

JLN Network Manager

Authors: Isha Sharma, Rahul S Reddy Kadarpeta and Jane Nyambura  Leadership by women at all levels of the health system has played a pivotal role in advancing universal health coverage worldwide. Women leaders have pioneered the art of embracing collaboration and empathy, pivotal to bringing together various stakeholders to work on common goals. Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage (JLN) nurtures these values and benefits from collective thinking and problem solving to co-produce several knowledge products that support the design of innovative policies and implement strategic initiatives across the world. JLN has ensured that the contributions of women policymakers and practitioners within the network are always respected and celebrated. On 8 March 2024, International Women’s Day, we held a webinar to share the remarkable contributions of women leaders at JLN in advocating for UHC around the globe. As a collective acknowledgement of the resilience, leadership, and passion of women in healthcare, this blog highlights the learnings from the webinar which featured Dr Nguyen Khanh Phuong, Director, Health Strategy & Policy Institute, Ministry of Health, Vietnam, Mrs Vivian Addo-Cobbiah, Former, Deputy Chief Executive, Operations, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Ghana, Dr. Elizabeth Wangia, Ag. Director, Health Financing, Ministry of Health Kenya. Vivian and her colleagues at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Ministry of Health in Ghana have been an integral part of the JLN since 2010. At NHIA, her contributions have been instrumental in establishing an accreditation system for health facilities, ensuring adherence to specific healthcare quality standards at credentialed facilities and Clinical and Compliance Audits for NHIA. Additionally, as one of the authors of the JLN knowledge product on Medical Audits, she witnessed the transformative impact of refining medical audit targets, processes and outcomes through successful adaptation and implementation of the JLN Tool on developing and Strengthen Medical Audit Systems. Vivian emphasizes that her JLN experience not only inspired her to intensify her efforts but also reinforced her dedication to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Ghana. Dr Phuong has been affiliated with JLN since 2010. Her involvement in the JLN Provider Payment Collaborative, along with support from the member countries of the network, facilitated strategic recommendations for nationwide provider payment system reform in Vietnam. The reform coupled with the adoption of the Health Insurance Law, marked a significant milestone in the nation’s health systems strengthening journey. She expressed, “The JLN has been a source of inspiration and empowerment for me, providing a platform for learning, knowledge-sharing, and accessing resources from across the globe. By leveraging the expertise and experiences of other member countries, we were able to tailor solutions to address Vietnam’s specific healthcare challenges effectively.” Dr Liz, utilizing her leadership expertise within clinical practice and policy units in Kenya, began her involvement with JLN during the COVID-19 pandemic. Engaging in various learning exchange activities, she supported Kenya’s efforts in combating the pandemic, drawing upon the collective wisdom of JLN member countries. This experience fueled her interest and strengthened her dedication to leveraging global insights for local impact, particularly evident in her ongoing engagement with the JLN Digital Health Collaborative to advance primary healthcare services through technology. She remarked, “By harnessing the collective wisdom and experiences of stakeholders at national and subnational levels, we can accelerate progress towards our shared goal of achieving equitable, accessible, and quality healthcare for every individual in Kenya.” All three women leaders acknowledged that their contributions are inspired by other women leaders, who have played pivotal roles in driving transformative change in improving health systems, paving the way for them to continue this path. Liz mentions being motivated by Ms Susan Nakhumicha, Minister of Health, Kenya, whose leadership led to the enactment of UHC legislation, including the Social Health Insurance Act and the Innovative Primary Health Act. The women governors of the 7 counties (of a total of 47 counties in Kenya) have prioritized health within their jurisdictions and provided perspectives aligning with the diverse needs of local contexts. She adds “When women occupy leadership roles at national and subnational levels, they transcend individual roles to work collectively and this ability to navigate between different levels of government facilitates unity and cooperation, for the common good and benefit of all.” Vivian shares her admiration for Dr.   Lydia Dsane-Selby, (distinguished medical doctor and former CEO, NHIA), Dr. Martha Ghansa-Lutterodt, (Chief Pharmacist and former Director, Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health), and Dr. Cynthia Bannerman (Public health specialist and former Director Quality Assurance, Ghana Health Service), women leaders in Health from Ghana who have shaped her health systems thinking and career. They ensured that there was space for all women to grow. She adds “We collaborated cohesively to achieve substantial progress within Ghana’s health sector institutions, a practice we should uphold. Rather than regarding ourselves as rivals vying for space, we should prioritize working in harmony and peace. By maintaining this approach, I am confident that women will continue to make remarkable advancements.” Dr. Phuong draws inspiration from visionary leaders like Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến, former Minister of Health with great enthusiasm for health reform such as hospital fee policy, hospital quality improvement and Madame Đào Hồng Lan, the current Minister of Health, whose leadership brought together the Ministry and other government sectors to prioritize healthcare needs and find solutions in the post-pandemic period amidst resource shortages. These JLN leaders also advocated for women to embrace change and perceive challenges as opportunities for personal and professional growth. They stressed the importance of utilizing available support and resources to continuously enhance skills and demonstrate capabilities. Mentorship plays a crucial role in guiding young women through their careers and fostering personal development. “A proactive approach not only helps women gain recognition but also opens doors to new opportunities, allowing us to become even stronger versions of ourselves,” – Phoung “By seeking out mentorship opportunities, women can benefit from the wisdom, guidance, and experience of other women who have already paved the way. Women in positions to provide guidance have a responsibility to