By Wandia Ikua, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist – USAID TB ARC II
The growing trend on stakeholder engagement is undeniable globally; different stakeholders forge collaborations to address the societal Grand Challenges, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and respond to Call To Actions (CTOs). From a Public Health perspective, it leans toward a Multi-stakeholder partnership approach.
In Kenya, for instance, the Government of Kenya (GoK) through the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP), County Governments, Funding Agencies through their implementing partners, Civil Societies, Private sector, Healthcare workers among others constitute stakeholders at the forefront of reducing the incidence of Tuberculosis (TB) and reducing mortality related to it (TB). TB disease, is a public health concern due to its infectious nature. It is still a leading cause of death not only in Kenya but globally. It is estimated there were 1.3 million deaths among the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) negative people in 2020 (Global Tuberculosis Report 2021). The TB control strategies in Kenya are still heavily dependent on developmental aid from various funding agencies despite Kenya transitioning from a Low Middle Income (LMI) county to a Middle Income County (MIC) in 2014.
The transition translated that Kenya should be in a position to finance some key aspects of its development which led to an observable declining shift in the donor funding to address constantly glaring epidemics such as HIV and TB. Due to the diminishing funds, it is paramount that the stakeholders put their “dollar in one envelope” to carry out their mandate efficiently and to avoid duplication of efforts and available resources, after all, the beneficiary is one and the same, the patient.
Each year since 2019, through USAID support, the NTP, in collaboration with Tuberculosis Accelerate Care II (TB ARC II), brings together the representatives of the above mentioned stakeholders, to develop and “co-create” a work plan with the available resources whose sources are as diverse as the stakeholders are. This approach fosters transparency and accountability for both the inputs and their outcomes as each stakeholder commits to support the strategies depending on their scope and extent of available resources. Seemingly, the synergy of co-creating is timesaving when it comes to the actual implementation of the co-created strategies. A costed work plan with an accompanying Gantt chart and a performance measurement plan are outputs of the co-creation process that are shared with each stakeholder.The Gantt chart is collaboratively developed and activities are amicably diarised for seamless implementation.
It is deducible that this co-creation approach cements the principles of Gestalts Theory, which emphasises that the whole of anything is greater than its parts. Looking at the TB control approach holistically is for the greater good of the patient in an era of reduced resources.
