PATH welcomes grant for the collaborative development of solutions for achieving universal health coverage

Kate Davidson | (206) 302-4637 | media@path.org

PATH was awarded $4M to support the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage (JLN)—a global community of health policymakers and practitioners working to address barriers to achieving universal health coverage in their countries. This investment by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will revitalize and expand the technical work of the network, allowing for continued peer-to-peer learning and co-development of solutions that contribute to the goal of extending effective health insurance coverage to more than 3 billion people.

The two-year grant was awarded to PATH, which will provide sub-grants to other network partners, including the World Bank, Results for Development, Qualis Health, Ariadne Labs and Aceso Global. The award will support four JLN focus areas: the Information Technology (IT) Initiative, People-centered and Integrated Care (PCIC), Provider Payment Mechanism Initiative and stronger country-level coordination and governance of the JLN.

The objectives of the JLN align with PATH's expertise in convening diverse stakeholders to think creatively to solve complex problems. With support from PATH and the network partners, the JLN member countries identify common challenges, share real world experiences and create new ideas and tools for expanding health care coverage.

"We believe in the value the Joint Learning Network provides for countries to share experiences with each other as they work towards Universal Health Coverage," said Caren Althauser, consulting services lead of PATH's Digital Health Solutions team and the technical facilitator of the JLN Information Technology (IT) Initiative. "We are excited to continue our work with the IT Initiative, where country members collaborate with cross-country peers to co-develop new knowledge products and guidance for using IT to accelerate the implementation and scale of national health payer or insurance programs."

The IT Initiative, led by PATH, helps ministries of health and other stakeholders learn from each others successes and failures in the design and implementation of technology platforms. PATH is a leader in the development of information and communication technologies that are designed in consultation with the user and are sensitive to the context in which they are used. Through support from the IT initiative, countries will develop heath information systems that allow policymakers and health workers to better access and use data to improve health care quality and coverage.

Posted March 17, 2017.