Operational Strategies

The priority fields of SDC's cooperation in health are addressed from the specific to the general through the following key operational strategies.

• Moving towards a programme and sector approach
  The agency supports its partners to go beyond project-based approaches towards a coordinated programme and sector approach promoting ownership. At national level SDC helps to ensure that health policies and PRSPs are addressing the needs of the poor. Specific projects are supported to pilot new approaches and in view of their potential to be scaled up.
• Supporting exchange and coordination between all stakeholders and fostering harmonisation of donor support
  SDC aims at helping the voices of the poor to be heard in national and international fora. The agency therefore systematically fosters the participation of its partners in national, regional and international debates and exchange networks (North-South, South-South, West-East). At the international and national level, SDC actively coordinates with and promotes synergies of all development actors from bilateral and multilateral development agencies, the public and the private sector to the civil society. SDC contributes to harmonizing support between donors, and donors and their partners. SDC values the potential and engages in developing partnerships with the private sector to achieve its pro poor health objectives. The types of relationships that can be developed depend on a contextual analysis [14].
• Contributing to capacity building of partners
  Strengthening capacities amongst its partner organisations and beneficiaries as well as within its own personnel is a key component of SDC's health cooperation. Local capacity building in leadership, management and operational skills is promoted by involving national partners in all aspects of cooperation. Where capacity in partner countries is still weak, SDC will provide technical assistance to ensure the quality of the approaches while building the capacity amongst its direct partner organisations.
• Promoting health research and evidence base
  SDC considers health research an essential tool to provide evidence for policy formulation and to translate policy into effective action. SDC strives to improve the relevance of international research to the developing countries' needs and prioritises research benefiting the poor. Therefore, SDC will pursue its active participation in the international health research dialogue to balance investments and needs in health research. At national level, SDC gives priority to Essential National Health Research and to operations research. Those research questions supported have direct relevance and implications on SDC's objectives in health cooperation and on policy making and decision taking. Institutional and individual capacity building in research is paramount in SDC's response. Better dissemination and use of research results in countries of the South and the East are promoted.
• Working beyond the health sector to improve health
  As a development agency, SDC encourages its partners and local actors dealing with activities such as improved food security and nutrition, education, income generation and economic development to strengthen their contribution to improving the health of the poor in their sectoral approaches. To translate the «do no harm» principle, all sectors are to analyse the positive and negative effects of their interventions on health. Exchange and collaboration for better health between the sectors are to be developed both at headquarters, multilateral and bilateral level.
• Promoting synergies between bilateral and multilateral activities
  The operational experience of SDC and its partners is capitalised to influence the agency's multilateral collaboration. SDC, in turn, uses its experience at the multilateral/global level to stimulate dialogue on challenges and international best practices at national level.
• Ensuring the continuum from humanitarian aid to development cooperation
  In the context of complex emergencies and disasters, SDC's humanitarian aid in health is complementary to development cooperation. Switzerland provides humanitarian aid to those most affected by crisis, conflict and natural or technological disaster. All health activities supported in the framework of humanitarian aid shall be initiated with a long term perspective and need to be coherent with the priorities and principles of SDC. In addition to the policy priorities, Swiss humanitarian aid may choose additional types of activities to address emergency situations ranging from prevention, relief, rehabilitation or advocacy, to disease outbreak mitigation, mental health support, surgery in the humanitarian context and assistance to landmine victims.