Working Group on the Pacific Human Resources for Health Alliance (PHRHA)
Place: Nadi, Fiji
Date: 30 Jun, 2008 - 2 Jul, 2008
The Informal Consultation on Human Resources for Health for Pacific Island Countries held in December 2007 agreed on the need for a strategic coordination framework, with guiding principles, and the establishment of a Pacific Human Resources for Health Alliance (PHRHA), with WHO as its interim secretariat. As recommended by the Consultation and in collaboration with countries and key partners, WHO developed draft terms of reference and a draft structure for PHRHA and a tentative work plan 2008-2011.
A Meeting of the Working Group on the Pacific Human Resources for Health Alliance (PHRHA) was convened by WHO, with support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) from 30 June to 2 July 2008 in Nadi, Fiji. The objectives of the meeting were:
- to review and finalize the terms of reference of the PHRHA for endorsement by the Pacific ministers of health;
- to critique and align the work plan of the PHRHA in support of the human resources for health needs of Pacific island countries and areas;
- and to discuss and identify measures to enhance the success of the PHRHA and its sustainability.
The working group was comprised of senior health executives, heads of institutions and professional associations, and key partners. The expected outcomes of the meeting were to review and agree on the terms of reference and structure of PHRHA and its long term work plan 2008–2015. It also aimed to identify actions to sustain the alliance as well as key outcomes and indicators for assessing, monitoring and evaluating its success and value-adding contribution to strengthen the health workforce capacity of countries and the Pacific region to meet their health needs and improved health outcomes. These expected outcomes were all achieved.
There was strong and unanimous support for the formal establishment of the PHRHA. An additional and major outcome of the meeting was the nomination of the members of the Steering Committee that comprised of five Pacific island countries' representatives, representative from a provider of medical education in the Pacific, a nursing profession representative, representatives from key partners and Pacific organizations, non-voting co-opted/stakeholder representative, and non-voting representative from the World Health Organization.
The meeting made a set of recommendations that included key actions that PHRHA should take, priorities for the interim secretariat to undertake, the proposed agenda items of the first Steering Committee meeting, and identified measures and actions to sustain PHRHA, and for the interim secretariat to submit the final terms of reference and structure for PHRHA and the revised work plans 2008–2015 for endorsement by the Pacific Ministers of Health in September 2008.