DUSHANBE, May 26, Asia-Plus — A two-day seminar to discuss introduction of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) in Tajikistan’s health sector opened in Dushanbe today, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The source at a MoH said that Health Minister Nusratullo Salimov is conducting the seminar that has brought together local and international organizations, main donors and partners of the country’s health sector.
The seminar is staged under support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank (WB).
During two days, the seminar participants are discussing issues related to coordination and efficient use of investment funds in the health sector, outlining priorities and main directions of donor assistance, and other moves that will allow the ministry strengthening the health sector through increasing potentials, technical support, monitoring and assessment, the source said.
According to the WHO World Health Report 2000, the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) is an approach to international development that “brings together governments, donors and other stakeholders within any sector. It is characterized by a set of operating principles rather than a specific package of policies or activities. The approach involves movement over time under government leadership towards: broadening policy dialogue; developing a single sector policy (that addresses private and public sector issues) and a common realistic expenditure program; common monitoring arrangements; and more coordinated procedures for funding and procurement. Another definition for SWAp is provided by Foster (2000:9) as: ”All significant funding for the sector supports a single sector policy and expenditure program, under government leadership, adopting common approaches across the sector, and progressing towards Government procedures to disburse and account for all funds.”
