On March 22, 160 representatives from national health programs, NGOs, and funding organizations convened to exchange policy and decision-making factors that enable and hinder collaborative planning for integrated campaigns. Participants identified opportunities for applying promising practices in collaborative planning, and next steps for the Coalition.
The HCE Office opened the discussion with a synthesis of the recent case studies on integrated campaign planning. The synthesis presented offered 10 actions that planners, managers, and implementers of immunization, polio, malaria, vitamin A supplementation and NTD campaigns can consider for improving the planning process and increasing campaign effectiveness.
Participants then heard from panelists Dr. Ajay Khera (EngenderHealth, India), Dr. Preetha GS, (International Institute of Health Management Research, India), and Dr. Jovana O’Campo (Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia). The panel discussed the challenges and opportunities they experienced in planning integrated campaigns and took questions from participants. A key point made was to involve stakeholders early—from forming coordinating bodies to engaging with local communities. Panelists also addressed how decisions to collaborate across campaigns are determined, and what individuals in the Coalition can do to advocate for campaign integration.
What should the Coalition do next?
The second hour of the session provided virtual break-out rooms for participants to engage in deep discussion. Participants identified opportunities and entry points for integrating campaigns, building the Coalition knowledge base, and advocating these practices to larger audiences, especially to ministries of health and funders. Participants also gave recommendations for the Coalition’s next steps:
- Continue to build and strengthen the HCE network, especially bringing together campaign leaders across domains.
- Share, develop, expand, and promote tools.
- Enable and support advocacy, from building the evidence base on campaign integration to helping to monitor policies.
- Focus on sustainability and look ahead to primary healthcare integration.
View the Videos:
Breakout Session: How are Decisions about Integrated Campaigns Made?
Continue the Conversation
The Test & Learn Series advances learning, collaboration and communication in critical health campaign issues across the five major health campaign domains, and among country leaders, global actors, donors and implementing groups. Hosted by the Health Campaign Effectiveness Program of the Task Force for Global Health, this series highlights innovative campaign approaches and delivery models.