Driving Egypt towards Evidence Based Decision Making. Minister of Health & Population, Egypt Prof.Dr. Amr Helmi

Transcription

1 Driving Egypt towards Evidence Based Decision Making Minister of Health & Population, Egypt Prof.Dr. Amr Helmi

2 We are reforming a country...so we might as well reform our health system!

3 Egypt is trying to create an environment more conducive to evidence-based policy making Evidence-based policy making means two things to us: Striving towards a modernized mandate, in order to replace the ideologically- driven policies by rationally- driven decision making. Demonstrating the policy process, rather than attempting to affect the ultimate objective of the policy.

4 What were the obstacles preventing evidence based policy making in Egypt Difficult political environment. Political volatility has a negative impact on the use of evidence in policy making. This was particularly true in Egypt before the current transitional stage.. Problems with accountability, participation and lack of resources. Marginal academic leverage, minimal media freedom and feeble civil society influence.

5 What was preventing evidence-based policy making in Egypt? Capacity was more limited in regards to generating reliable evidence and formulating policy The ability to share, use, and disseminate data, is deficient both within the MOHP and other partner entities. Hospitals and primary health care centers did not have information on the cost and efficiency of services they produce. Minimal interest from potential producers and users of such evidence. Involvement only happened when there was an immediate need to respond to a certain requirement; no systematic arrangement was set for actions to be taken.

6 Egypt needs to build on the existing momentum Now is the time! The Arab Spring More democratization and transparency. Increased public demand for Health reform. Egypt s new Social Health Insurance program will demand Financial Sustainability Actuarial analysis Innovative Financing The situation is getting worst 72 percent of health expenditure is out of pocket ( and increasing!) 31 percent of expenditure goes to Pharmaceuticals alone Healthcare is only less than 6 percent of GDP.

7 Egypt is exploring many channels to promote the use of data Get policymakers to own evidence hence get committed which leads to further engagement. In other words getting senior policy officials to endorse a project and its supporting evidence. Establishing better incentives to encourage the use of evidence Forming a national technical committee on health will be welcomed by stakeholders who would appreciate participating in the process.

8 Taking steps Increased communication and interaction between the evidence-producing process and decision making worlds in order to strengthen and integrate both. The Health Economics Unit will have a data producing NHA hub but will be basically leading the analyses of this data as well as other health economics analysis.

9 Taking steps Establishing a steering committee including MOHP and other health care providers to achieve unified health care policies and complementing roles and synergy.

10 What do we need? Training and educating staff on evidence use. Encouraging better collaboration through analytical services. Providing open access to information leading to more and better informed citizens and pressure groups Periodic policy briefs, scheduled policy forums, general information provided to media and other circles.

11 We need to work on this Demand from country leaders Production Governance Capacity Financing Translation of data Quality assessment & Dissemination

12 We are working on this Demand from country leaders Production Governance Capacity Financing Translation of data Quality assessment & Dissemination

13 We have what it takes Translation of data Demand from country leaders People s will & Political will Quality assessment & Dissemination

14 Thank you 14