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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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Heather Ignatius
Chief of External Affairs
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Rosemarie Muganda-Onyando
Regional Advocacy Director, Africa
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Marti Wilson
Finance and Administration Manager
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Kelly Healy
Co-Lead, Advocacy Partnership
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Rachel Ndirangu
Co-Lead, Advocacy Partnership
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Jacqueline Achieng
Program Officer, Media and Communications
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Anum Adrees
Advocacy and Policy Associate, Global Health Technologies Coalition
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Deogratias Agaba
Senior Communications Officer
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Esther Adhiambo Anyango
Program Coordinator, Advocacy and Public Policy
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Elizabeth Bazuaye
Program Assistant- Advocacy and Public Policy
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Mariana Becerra
Policy & Advocacy Officer
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Jenny Blair
Manager, US & Global Policy and Advocacy
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Taonga Chilalika
Advocacy and Policy Officer
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Lindokuhle Dlamini
Senior Communications Officer
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Claire Felten
Senior Advocacy and Policy Associate
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Susan Lin
Senior Analyst-Public Health Advisor, Advocacy and Public Policy
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Alex Long
Policy and Advocacy Officer, Global Health Technologies Coalition
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Wanjiku Manguyu
Regional Advocacy and Policy Advisor
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Diketso Mphafudi
Program Associate
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Rebecca Mwima
Program Assistant- Advocacy and Public Policy
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Esther Nasikye
Advocacy and Policy Lead, Uganda
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Jamie Nishi
Executive Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition
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Frederick Okwi
Program Officer
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Johnpaul Omollo
Senior Policy Officer, R&D
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Clayton Opiyo
Advocacy and Policy Officer
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Hannah Sachs-Wetstone
Program Assistant, GHTC
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Martha Songa
Regional Advocacy and Policy Officer
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Kate Sotos
Communications Officer, External Affairs General
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Melissa Wanda
Policy & Advocacy Officer, Kenya
