In early November 2018, Thanzi la One (TLO) Programme Director Paul Revill and TLO Malawi-based researcher Takondwa Mwase travelled to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe to attend the East, Central and South Africa Health-Community (ECSA-HC) 67th Health Ministers Conference. On this occasion, the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) and ECSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which formalises the two institutions’ relationship and affirms their common objectives: working together to set-up a Health Economics Community of Practice based in and catering to the East, Central and Southern Africa region.
Takondwa presented on TLO research on resource prioritisation and health benefits package design – one of the five priority topics for the conference. Being there also provided the opportunity for Paul and Takondwa to meet with key ECSA representatives and discuss health economics training and the establishment of an ECSA Health Economics Community of Practice – the first meeting of which will take place in Lilongwe, Malawi, in early February 2019.
The MOU was signed by Prof. Yoswa Mbulalina (ECSA-HC Director General) and Prof. Maria Goddard (CHE Director) and stipulates the different aims and objectives of the partnership between CHE and ECSA. Both institutions share a commitment to promote effectiveness and efficiency of health services through cooperation, collaboration, research, capacity building, policy development and advocacy.
Through this MoU, ECSA and CHE vow to work together to raise researcher capability in health economics in the region and provide policy-makers the understanding and appreciation of the contributions of health economics research, and subsequently supporting its appropriate use in policy formulation.
