PATH Program

Advocacy & Policy

PATH’s advocacy and public policy team helps policymakers, advocates, and citizens make evidence-based policy and funding decisions to advance health equity. Our work informs policies, mobilizes resources, strengthens advocacy capacity, and holds decision-makers accountable for their commitments.

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In 2018-2022, our advocacy contributed to at least:
96
Policies adopted
119
Actions taken to implement policies
130
Funding lines mobilized

What we do

At PATH, we are experts in driving change through policy with over four decades of experience. By applying our technical expertise and leveraging influential cross-sector partnerships, we are uniquely suited to advance evidence-based policies and partner with advocates at all levels to hold decision-makers accountable and ensure those policies are implemented and adequately resourced.

Our work responds to communities’ health priorities that will lead to lasting positive change including advocating for improved policies and increased budgets for strengthening primary health care and financing; reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition; immunization; research and development; health system innovation; elimination and control of diseases, including infectious diseases, noncommunicable diseases, and neglected tropical diseases; emergency response and preparedness; and gender equity.

How we do it
Our strategies for creating change:
Analyze and inform policies

Smart policies and robust resources can make all the difference between a promising idea and an inclusive and sustainable health solution or program. Our experts analyze the policy environment to identify where policy change is needed to advance progress against priority health challenges. Working with policy makers and our partners, we support the development of policies, legislation, and guidelines at the subnational, national, and global levels.

Engage decision-makers and hold them accountable

PATH encourages decision-makers to craft policies, commit resources, and promote initiatives that improve health. Our work often starts with raising visibility of the issue and building political will to move forward. Next, we gather and communicate evidence to ensure that policymakers understand the multiple facets of an issue. We then engage decision-makers to ensure they advance evidence-based policies. We don’t stop until these policies are written and adopted, resources are mobilized, and the policies are fully implemented and monitored to ensure accountability.

Build influential champions

Building a network of influential champions is key to ensuring our cross-cutting issues are prioritized for action. This includes political champions but also other influential voices such as healthcare professionals, scientists, researchers, academics, private sector leaders, faith community leaders, and patients. PATH builds skills and provides information and opportunities for diverse champions to be effective advocates for health equity.

Promote citizen-led accountability

Citizen mobilization and empowerment is critical to generating demand and ensuring accountability for quality health services. PATH creates platforms to elevate citizen voices and concerns, foster dialogue between citizens and the policymakers who serve them, and involve citizens in the planning and monitoring of health and social services. Such platforms serve to influence changes in policies, budgets, and service delivery that make a tangible difference in the daily lives of those we aim to serve.

Foster coalitions

Coalitions are an indispensable tool for advocacy. When diverse groups unite for a common cause, their collective action can add real momentum to advocacy efforts and increase the likelihood of impact. PATH has a long history of building successful coalitions that shape policies and promote investments in high-priority health areas. We leverage both our extensive network of partnerships and our footprint in more than 70 countries to bring a mix of public-sector, private-sector, and nongovernmental stakeholders to the table.

Strengthen advocacy capacity

Local health advocates play a pivotal role in the development and implementation of policies and budgets to improve health in their countries. With a deep understanding of the issues and strong, established relationships with members of their communities and governments, they have the necessary knowledge and connections. PATH works with individual advocates, organizations, and coalitions to help them develop strategies and messages to influence policies and form networks that have real impact. Our support helps build the skills and knowledge base that foster change that advocates can continue to replicate.

Bridge national and global agendas

To ensure policy dialogue at global level responds to the needs of communities, PATH supports the participation of national and subnational decision makers and advocates at global and regional tables and platforms. The combination of national and subnational implementation experience and PATH’s expertise working on global and regional platforms provides advocates with unique insights that strengthen our work at all levels. Our deep engagement at the country level gives us a particularly clear vantage point from which we bring life to the global guidelines developed. Similarly, our global-level expertise improves policy change, implementation, and accountability at the country level.

Our collaborative approach

With locally staffed projects and deep expertise across a range of health areas, we are a trusted partner to government decision-makers and civil society advocates. We work with national and subnational governments to ensure civil society is engaged in policymaking processes, and we partner with local civil society organizations to enable them to lead and demand accountability from governments.

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Resource hub

Browse resources from our program in the PATH advocacy resource hub.

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Our global team

PATH’s team of advocacy professionals around the world works at all levels with governments, civil society, the private sector, and other development partners to advance policy initiatives that result in better health outcomes for women, children, and families. Our multidisciplinary staff includes public health experts with experience in diverse cultural contexts, as well as business and policy strategists skilled in translating promising ideas into innovative approaches that have a sustainable impact on health equity.

  1. Heather Ignatius

    Chief of External Affairs

  2. Rosemarie Muganda-Onyando

    Regional Advocacy Director, Africa

  3. Marti Wilson

    Finance and Administration Manager

  4. Jamie Nishi

    Executive Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition

  5. Jenny Blair

    Director, US Partnerships

  6. Kelly Healy

    Co-Lead, Advocacy Partnership

  7. Rachel Ndirangu

    Co-Lead, Advocacy Partnership

  8. Esther Nasikye

    Global Immunization & MNCH Advocacy Lead and Uganda Advocacy & Policy Manager, Uganda

  9. Johnpaul Omollo

    Senior Policy Officer, R&D

  10. Melissa Wanda

    Policy & Advocacy Officer, Kenya

  11. Jacqueline Achieng

    Program Officer, Media and Communications

  12. Fata Acquoi

    Congressional Lead

  13. Anum Adrees

    Advocacy and Policy Associate, Global Health Technologies Coalition

  14. Deogratias Agaba

    Senior Communications Officer

  15. Esther Adhiambo Anyango

    Program Coordinator, Advocacy and Public Policy

  16. Elizabeth Bazuaye

    Program Assistant- Advocacy and Public Policy

  17. Mariana Becerra

    Policy & Advocacy Officer

  18. Taonga Chilalika

    Advocacy and Policy Officer

  19. Marissa Chmiola

    Deputy Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition

  20. Lindokuhle Dlamini

    Senior Communications Officer

  21. Claire Felten

    Advocacy and Policy Officer

  22. Susan Lin

    Senior Analyst-Public Health Advisor, Advocacy and Public Policy

  23. Adey Fentaw

    US Policy and Advocacy Associate, Global Health Technologies Coalition

  24. Alex Long

    Policy and Advocacy Officer, Global Health Technologies Coalition

  25. Wanjiku Manguyu

    Regional Advocacy and Policy Advisor

  26. Diketso Mphafudi

    Program Associate

  27. Rebecca Mwima

    Program Associate- Advocacy and Public Policy

  28. Frederick Okwi

    Program Officer

  29. Clayton Opiyo

    Advocacy and Policy Officer

  30. Hannah Sachs-Wetstone

    Senior Program Assistant, GHTC

  31. Martha Songa

    Regional Advocacy and Policy Officer

  32. Kate Sotos

    Communications Officer, External Affairs General

50 Article s
  1. A health care worker at the Dominique Health Center in Pikine, Senegal provides family planning support and counselling to patients. Photo: PATH/ Gabe Bienczycki.
    October 19, 2023

    Advancing innovations in women's health through policy advocacy

    Innovative solutions for women’s health needs are critical to saving lives and advancing gender equality, but underfunding and inefficient regulatory systems leave millions of women unable to access high-quality, affordable products. How can advocates change the landscape?
  2. A health worker in Kenya holds a 7.1% chlorhexidine gel box. 7.1% chlorhexidine—one of the assets included in PATH’s MNCHN Asset Tracker project—is an antiseptic used to clean umbilical cords to help prevent newborn infections. Photo: PATH/Andrew Berends.
    May 22, 2023

    How a new data tool is increasing access to health services for mothers and children

    PATH's MNCHN Asset Tracker project is helping decision-makers and advocates to better use data to improve maternal and child health and save lives through evidence-based policy.
  3. Senegal street scene
    October 24, 2022

    20+ years advancing health equity in Senegal

    Celebrating more than two decades of impactful partnership between PATH and the Ministry of Health.
  4. A view of of Expo City in Dubai. Photo: Melnikov Dmitriy
    September 8, 2022

    PATH at the 77th UN General Assembly: applying COVID-19 lessons to strengthen health equity and security

    As the world continues to respond to and build back from COVID-19, PATH joins world leaders in New York at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly to reflect on pandemic response to date and commit to building back and building better health systems to withstand future health crises.
  5. A Village Health Team member holds her vaccination card at Komamboga Health Centre III in a suburb of Kampala, Uganda. Photo: PATH/Will Boase.
    April 25, 2022

    Expanding the impact of COVID-19 vaccine rollout

    How we can strengthen immunization services while introducing COVID-19 vaccines.
  6. Sue Wairimu, Design and Innovation Lead with PATH’s Living Labs team, interviews a health care worker in Tukana County in Kenya to understand their perceptions and motivations around COVID-19 vaccines. Photo: PATH/Nelson Cheruiyot.
    April 15, 2022

    Overcoming COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

    PATH is working with partners in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda to increase vaccine uptake and save lives.
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