Sierra Leone Study Tour to Ghana

 

 

A senior level delegation from the Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone participated in a MLI study tour to Ghana to learn about Ghana’s national health insurance scheme and its donor harmonization efforts- two priority areas for MLI in Sierra Leone.  The study tour was timed to coincide with Ghana’s annual Health Summit, a two day workshop presenting the performance review of the health sector.

The Summit provided an opportunity for the delegation to observe the review process as well as to become familiar with the key health team in Ghana.  Aside from attending the Summit, the delegation spent time with their Ghanaian counterparts and learned about the establishment of the national health insurance scheme and the health reforms enacted that led to the successful implementation of Ghana’s Sector-wide Approach (SWAp). The delegation focused on identifying the pre-conditions for the successful establishment of health insurance and the SWAp in Ghana in order to identify priority first steps and potential success factors for Sierra Leone’s future reforms.

This study tour provided an unusual opportunity for peer learning and relationship building between the two countries. The Sierra Leonean team learned from peers in Ghana about strategies for developing capacity for health sector reform. The study tour also helped to build ties with Ghana, facilitate the development of personal and professional relationships, and to share best practices and practical challenges.