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Dear ,
Pooling donor resources has long been viewed as a key strategy for strengthening the effectiveness of development assistance and supporting sustainable, country-led health systems. As global health funding expanded rapidly over the past three decades, many countries found themselves managing multiple parallel funding streams, each with its own planning, reporting, procurement and accountability requirements. This fragmentation has often generated high transaction costs, duplication of efforts and misalignment with national priorities, prompting repeated attempts to improve coordination and align external resources behind government-led health sector strategies.
A range of approaches have been tested over time to improve donor alignment and coordination, including Sector-Wide Approaches (SWAps), health basket funds, joint financing arrangements, and broader aid effectiveness initiatives such as the International Health Partnership (IHP+). While these efforts have produced important lessons, many countries and development partners have faced challenges in sustaining pooled funding mechanisms and fully integrating external resources into national systems.
Based on the experiences of Tanzania, Burundi and Sierra Leone, this webinar will review the evidence on what has worked, and what lessons can be drawn from countries’ experiences in pooling and aligning donor resources.
Looking forward to sharing this session with you,
The webinar team
Webinar in English and French, with simultaneous interpretation.
Webinaire en anglais et en français, avec interprétation simultanée.
Agenda:
• Introduction — Kalipso Chalkidou (WHO)
• Framing presentation — Allison Beattie
• Panel discussion — Raymond Kiwesa (TAMISEMI, Tanzania),
Thaddée Ndindurwaha (Ministry of Public Health, Burundi) and
Tom Sesay (Ministry of Health, Sierra Leone)
Facilitation: Nouria Brikci (GFF)
• Q & A session
• Wrap up — Diwa Samad (GFF)
Speakers
Kalipso Chalkidou is the Director of the Performance, Financing and Delivery Department at the World Health Organization. For more than 20 years, she has worked with governments and international organizations to strengthen health systems and support progress towards universal health coverage. Her expertise focuses on helping countries use evidence to set health investment priorities and strengthen decision-making processes. Kalipso holds a doctorate in medicine and postgraduate qualifications in public health and health policy.
Allison Beattie is a Health Systems and Health Financing Specialist, with over 30 years of experience in health sector reform, health system strengthening, and universal health coverage. She has worked with governments, multilateral organizations, development agencies, and academic institutions to design and implement health financing and health system reforms. Her expertise includes health governance, pooled funding arrangements, and evidence-informed policymaking. Allison holds a PhD in Public Health.
Nouria Brikci is a GFF consultant in health financing, a researcher in health economics, and a lecturer in health policy and health systems. For more than 20 years, she has worked with various governments on the analysis, development, and implementation of their health financing strategies. Nouria holds master's degrees in development studies and health policy, planning, and financing, and a PhD in health economics.
Raymond Kiwesa is the Direct Health Facility Financing Coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (TAMISEMI) in Tanzania. He has extensive experience in health financing and resource mobilization for public health programmes. His expertise includes budgeting, financial planning, and strengthening equitable and sustainable health financing. Raymond holds a master’s degree in Health Systems Management.
Thaddée Ndindurwaha is the Director of the National Universal Health Insurance Programme at the Ministry of Public Health of Burundi. He has extensive experience in health financing, performance-based financing, and health system reforms. Throughout his career, he has supported the design and implementation of initiatives aimed at strengthening health services and advancing universal health coverage. Thaddée holds a medical degree.
Tom Sesay is the Director of Policy, Planning and Information at the Ministry of Health of Sierra Leone. He has extensive experience in national health planning, policy development, and health systems strengthening, having previously led reproductive, child health, and immunization programmes. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions at both national and district levels within the health sector. Tom holds degrees in Medicine and Public Health, as well as postgraduate qualifications in health systems management, maternal and child health, and health policy.
Diwa Samad is a GFF Development Economist and Health Systems Specialist with expertise in health financing, health sector reform, and public financial management. She works with governments and development partners to strengthen health systems and improve health financing. Her areas of expertise include expenditure tracking, community health financing, and evidence-based decision-making. Diwa holds a master’s degree in Economics, with specialized training in Health Economics and Health System Governance.
This webinar is the 20th of our series
