It is widely acknowledged that, in the past, CHAG Secretariat has played a crucial role in securing salary payments of MIs staff. The CHAG Secretariat has also been successful in promoting the introduction of district health insurance schemes and advocating for increased financial access of the poor. The CHAG’s Executive Secretary has also been instrumental in facilitating various training support activities for its members.
In recent years there has been general consensus throughout the Association that the role of the Secretariat should increasingly focus on policy analysis, coordination with the MOH and GHS, promoting technical linkages between MIs and CHCU’s, resource mobilisation, technical support, lobbying and advocacy.
Now that most churches have established a "Health Coordinating Unit" (some of which are stronger than others) and some of the "traditional" functions of the CHAG Secretariat have been mainstreamed, there is potential for the Secretariat to concentrate on its "corporate responsibilities". Within this context, the role and functions of each of the three management layers within CHAG have been clearly defined.
- Member Institutions (MIs)
- Church Health Coordinating Units (CHCUs)
- Chag Secretariat
It is increasingly recognised that the CHAG Secretariat should be technical more “downstream” towards the CHCUs and MIs but more “upstream” towards the MOH, GHS and Development Partners from a health policy point of view.
With this in mind, the following key functions of the CHAG’s Secretariat have been defined in the 5 Year Strategic Plan (2007-2012):
- Advocacy
- Resource Mobilisation
- Networking and Public Relations
- Support to Member Institutions
- Monitoring and Evaluation
For the Secretariat to perform these roles and functions it has to evolve towards a “technical support/coordination” unit for its primary (CHCU) and secondary (MI) beneficiaries. In order to do so successfully, the Secretariat defined a “package of services” for its “clients”, comprising a number of well defined (policy, advocacy, management, technical and training) support services it will offer to the CHCUs and MIs.
At the same time the Secretary - along with the 19 CHCUs - will build up additional knowledge and expertise to be able to better contribute to the national health debate, engage in the discussion on health insurance for the poor and promote preventive and promotive health care.
In order for the Secretariat to improve its visibility within the health sector and provide the necessary ‘added value’ for the MIs and CHCUs, the need to restructure and reorganise the functional units at the Secretariat to respond more effectively to emerging challenges, was identified in 2008. A new organisational structure was proposed and accepted in January 2009. Subject to Board approval and the recruitment of identified new staff the Secretariat is likely to further improve its performance in 2009.
