Partners

SDC's development cooperation in health is channelled through a mix of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Its cooperation as well as humanitarian aid in health operates at three levels: at the level of partner countries, at the multilateral/international level and at the Swiss level. The agency fosters exchange and synergies between all three levels of cooperation to enhance coherence in its actions and among its partners.

At the level of partner countries, the agency collaborates with a wide range of different public and private (profit and non-profit) partners and fosters inter-linkages between them. Public partners in health are the Ministry of Health, and also the Ministries of Finance (health financing), Education (health promotion, school health), Agriculture (nutrition) and others, as appropriate. Private partners include local NGOs, private service providers -including those of the traditional sector-, community based organisations and other civil society groups. The interaction with these partners takes place at the central, regional, district and local level. At the country level, partners are chosen according to their ability to develop a balance between providing adequate health and social services (the offer), and to empower populations to voice their needs and participate in shaping these services (the demand).

At the multilateral/international level, SDC interacts with multilateral agencies (e.g. the World Bank and UN agencies: WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA). The agency further collaborates with relevant international NGOs and research centres for development (e.g. IPPF, COHRED/ GFHR) and mechanisms like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). SDC chooses its partners according to their strengths and their comparative advantage to conceive, advocate and implement a response to the most important health challenges. To further increase its effectiveness SDC is looking for synergies with like-minded donor countries and bilateral agencies through building meaningful alliances and being part of donor coordination groups, such as the DAC/OECD.

At the Swiss level, SDC closely coordinates and cooperates with other federal offices and public actors, Swiss NGOs, academic institutions and centres of competence to strengthen its own competence in health and related issues.