On May 31, 2024, key stakeholders, including participants from Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health and partners from the Health Campaign Effectiveness (HCE) Coalition, convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to advance the Collaborative Action Strategy (CAS). This approach is set to bolster the ministry’s initiatives by harmonizing and integrating health campaigns to reduce fragmentation and enhance efficiency.
The crux of the meeting emphasized the imperative of collaboration and merging of campaigns to optimize the use of resources, time, and effort. In this vein, the Ethiopia-specific CAS Customization Plan was introduced, laying out an objective to develop tailored content and a strategy for CAS implementation in the country.
To actualize this goal, a collaborative co-development process will be employed, driven by workshops designed to generate actionable recommendations and establish clear targets. These sessions will help in identifying key stakeholders, assigning responsibilities, setting timelines, detailing necessary resources, and defining success benchmarks.
The customization phase of the CAS is projected to last one month, with a broader view toward strategic long-term implementation. To support this process, three dedicated technical working groups (TWGs)—Planning & Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Adapting (MERLA), and Financing & Policy—have been organized to ensure alignment with Ethiopia’s overall health strategy.