The joint learning program on health financing launched in November 2020 by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Global Financing Facility (GFF), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, CSU 2030 and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) has started in 10 Francophone African countries (Cameroon, Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo, Chad, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar). The 20 members of civil society organizations from these countries were trained through the program, which aims to develop a cadre of actors able to provide training on health financing, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and budget advocacy to civil society actors and to provide support and mentoring in their respective countries.

The first knowledge and skills sharing workshops were held for various civil society actors in the above countries between February and March 2021.This training will enable civil society organizations to strengthen their participation in health financing decision-making processes to ensure that health resources are sufficient and used effectively, efficiently, transparently and equitably.

The training of trainers in English-speaking countries has just concluded, with CSOs from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda, and will follow up with country trainings in the coming weeks.