Abstract
Implementation of new models of development cooperation have been on the increase lately. Coupled with this are calls for use of horizontal development cooperation mechanisms such as South-South Cooperation (SSC) as a way to enhance aid effectiveness in the health sector of developing countries. In this case series, we review recent experiences in the application of SSC initiatives to two public health situations in Africa to demonstrate the veracity of this new paradigm. Our review highlight the immense benefits associated with the use of SSC for health and provide evidence for increasing use of horizontal development coordination mechanisms to strengthen public health services delivery and socioeconomic development among African countries. Opportunities for SSC among African countries include in the areas of disease prevention and control, production of medical products and essential medicines, harmonization of regulatory processes, and health workforce development among others. However, pitfalls such as poor coordination, inadequate political commitment, lack of conducive policy environments, language barrier and inadequate financing opportunities for SSC initiatives present major dilemma for the use of SSC mechanisms. We conclude that the need for a paradigm shift from vertical to horizontal development cooperation needs no further proof but a call to action. We call on the concerned stakeholders to support the establishment of a systematic approach for use of SSC mechanisms in the health sector of Africa, designation of an African Centre of Excellence for SSC in public health and development of a regional mechanism for monitoring and evaluation of SSC initiatives in Africa.
Highlights
Implementation of new models of development cooperation has been on the increase lately [1]
It is believed that South-South Cooperation (SSC) strengthens the principles of the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda for Action both of which stresses the need for aid effectiveness as well as the Busan Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which calls for more inclusive partnerships in development [9,10]
The foregoing underscores the need for better collaboration, experience sharing and capacity building among African countries given the similarities in their health and development contexts. In this case series paper, based on World Health Organization (WHO) [19] principle that cooperation among countries can be an effective tool to strengthen and accelerate health development, share knowledge and experiences to improve health-while making the most of existing resources and capacities available within countries and across regions; we review recent experiences in application of SSC initiatives to two public health situations in Africa to demonstrate the veracity of this new paradigm
Summary
Implementation of new models of development cooperation has been on the increase lately [1] Coupled with this are calls for increased use of horizontal development cooperation mechanisms such as South-South Cooperation (SSC) as a mean to enhance aid effectiveness in the health sector of developing countries [2,3,4]. The High-level UN conference on SSC (2009) provides a more comprehensive operational definition of SSC which is 'a process whereby two or more developing countries pursue their individual and/or shared national capacity development objectives through exchanges of knowledge, skills, resources and technical know-how and through regional and interregional collective actions, including partnerships involving Governments, regional organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector, for their individual and/or mutual benefit within and across regions' [11]. Other form of development cooperation is the Triangular Cooperation (TC), a south-south partnership, led by two or more developing countries but supported by a developed country, multilateral organization or international foundation [11]
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