International Cooperation in Health: A Framework for Performance Evaluation

Abstract

Background: International Cooperation (IC) is a relevant tool to strengthen institutional capacities and promote the development of countries. Hence, our objective has been to develop a framework for measuring the performance of actions related to IC apropos of public health grievances, using as a research case the experience of the “Sifilis Nao!” Project in Brazil, between 2018 and 2020. Methods: For constructing a theoretical framework, we carried out a systematic literature review on health-related IC and performance evaluation. The knowledge constructed on this field was applied to propose theoretical indicators, grouped in a six-dimension conceptual model of cause and effect. The case study was conducted through a research protocol employing the following data sources: project documents, information available online, and focused interviews with key project members. The performance evaluation model was validated by the Sifilis Nao!” Project coordination. Findings: The proposed framework measures the performance of international cooperation activities related to the response to health grievances. It encompasses twenty-three indicators distributed in six dimensions: sustainability, results, stakeholders, processes, learning, and resources. Interpretation: A tracking framework to manage the performance indicators of IC activities may provide administrators with more precise information for decision-making while also utilizing resources more efficiently, considering goals projected for the partnerships. Countries and institutions engaged in cooperation must consider it an important tool to support efforts to combat global health challenges that persist. Funding Information: The Brazilian Ministry of Health, the “Sifilis Nao!” Project, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, and the Laboratory for Technological Innovation in Health. Declaration of Interests: We declare no conflict of interests.