Carl Stecker of Catholic Relief Services discusses how faith-based organizations are well suited to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis and how groups can work together to strengthen the response.

1. Foundations, Associations, and
Networks; “Oh My!”' – Health
System Strengthening, a Haiti
Experience
Carl C. Stecker, RN, MPH, EdD
Head of Program Quality Support Unit
Catholic Relief Services – Haiti
Breakout Session 3 (10:30a-12:00p)
CCIH Annual Conference
10 June 2012

2. Objectives
• Personal background
• Historical context Haiti
• AIDSRelief and HSS
• Foundations, Networks, Associations
• Experience in CAR with ASSOMESCA
• Réseau des Institutions Chrétiennes de
Santé d'Haïti(RICSH)
• Discussion questions

3. Haiti Hospital Network Partners

6. St. Francois after the Earthquake

8. Public Health

9. The New St. Francois de Sales

10. Health System Strengthening
1) Good health services which deliver effective, safe, high
quality health interventions
2) Well-performing health workforce
3) Well-functioning health information system
4) Equitable access to essential medical products, vaccines
and technologies
5) Health systems financing
6) Effective leadership and governance (policy frameworks,
regulation, system design and accountability)

11. Strengths of FBO HIV/AIDS work
 5 reasons FBOs important in HIV AIDS Response:
 Extensive networks and reach: rooted in local structures and
in virtually present in every community in the world.
 Experience/capacity: meeting the needs of individuals,
families and communities infected and affected by HIV since
beginning of the pandemic.
 Leadership and credibility: faith leaders often have the most
integrity and therefore seen as most credible members of
their community.
 Spiritual mandate: FBOs and local communities faith provide
compassionate and holistic services to those who are
affected by HIV/AIDS—addressing the physical, spiritual, and
emotional well-being of the individual and the community.
 Sustainability: FBOs have proven sustainability of their work
through centuries of continuous presence in human
communities. FBOs are in a position to make sustained
efforts to address the erosion of communities’ traditional
sources of care and support, resulting from the impact of the
AIDS pandemic.

12. • Dindiki ba dinkƐkƐ

13. Definitions?
• Foundation: external support for one
institution or health system
• Network: informal grouping of related
partners for specific short-term strategic
benefit
• Association: formalized network with
letters of incorporation, constitution and
bylaws

14. Fondations
• Historical ties
• started by returning/ retired missionaries,
• Objective to keep the place open (fiscal,
fiduciary, financial sustainability),
• capacity building of national staff by periodic
medical mission trips and internships,
• often specifically paired to one organization
overseas,
• collection/distribution in-kind pharmaceuticals
and supplies

15. CRUDEM – Sacré-Cœur de Milot
CRUDEM (Center for the Rural Development
of Milot) / Hôpital Sacré Coeur
– provide accessible health care to the poor
– train and nurture a competent Haitian
medical staff, supplemented and
supported by volunteer specialists
– practice Christian compassion and
respect for the inherent dignity of every
individual

16. St. Boniface Haiti Fondation
• St. Boniface Haiti Foundation
– committed to helping those in need when
no one else can. We work side-by-side
with the people of Haiti to break the cycle
of poverty and alleviate suffering through
health care, education and community
development. We work with compassion,
respect and love for the people and
communities we serve.

17. Networks
• Local level between several institutions
• Short term collaboration on specific activities
(e.g. visiting laboratory technical assistance)
• Sharing of information (campaigns, subsidies,
grant opportunities, visiting specialist/ clinic)
• Short term meeting needs (borrow/ lend
supplies, pharmaceuticals, …)
• Beginning some joint representation national
and international

18. Association
• Local level between multiple institutions
• Short term and long term collaboration on specific activities
(e.g. joint procurement and supply chain)
• Recognized by national MOH  joint representation and
voice  strong partnership with MOH while able to remain
true to historical mission and vision.
• National subsidies and international grant opportunities
• Joint support/benefit for health education institutions (med
school, nursing school,
• Sharing of staff (e.g. single institution cannon afford fulltime
FTE of laboratory QA/QI supervisor  can now be shared
across several institutional members)

19. How to get there from here?
• What are necessary, but not sufficient elements of
going from network to association?
– Vision
– Mission
– Champion: Individual or organization that will provide
leadership
– Evangelize
– Buy-in of potential members
– Activities that bring quick-winds (joint procurement)
– Organic ?

20. ASSOMESCA
• Find out what others are doing
• Coordinate  decrease duplication
• Share information
• Collaborate / Associate to save $$$
• Represent / speak with one voice

21. RISCH Christian Hospital
Network
• Réseau des Institutions Chrétiennes de Santé d'Haïti
• Supply chain assessment of all hospitals
• Each hospital developing strategic plans identifying
key needs and priorities for next 5 years
• St. Boniface Haiti Foundation coordinating
development of list for training and support needs
• Hospitals continue discussion of network
sustainability

22. Discussion questions
• How can external goodwill stimulate/
germinate an association?
• Can development of a network towards
becoming an association be stimulated by
external (project) funding?
• What is essential/ critical for this
development? What is necessary, but not
sufficient in of itself?
• Is there a hybrid for fondations  association