Partners Albania starts the year with a new initiative called: Stronger CSOs for Transparency in Health. Through this initiative, PA will strengthen organizations working in the health sector to increase their role and active participation in enhancing transparency and reduce corruption practices in the health system. Furthermore, the project will strengthen CSOs to increase their role as “watchdog” contributing to effective implementation of the legal framework and practices that foster greater transparency and accountability of health state institutions, through a cooperative approach with the oversight institutions as the Ombudsman, The Albanian Supreme Audit Institution/High State Audit (HSA), and the High Inspectorate for Declaration and Audit of Assets Conflicts of Interest (HIDAACI), and other mechanisms that guarantee the effective implementation of the legal framework on transparency and anti-corruption.

BACKGROUND

Albania remains vulnerable to corruption because of political interference and a lack of independence at key oversight institutions, as stated in the 2016 Index of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions for Albania. Many Albanians have experienced corruption in their interactions with the health sector, with patients expected to pay doctors to ensure access to treatment or enhance the quality of care. Transparency International surveys show that 80% of Albanians believe informal payments are necessary to receive adequate quality health care in government facilities.

Organisations working in the health sector face several challenges that hinder their effectiveness in promoting and protecting the rights of their constituencies. They are weak in their organisational, human and institutional capacities, lack expertise to influence decision making and policy-making in the health sector, lack information on the way how the system works, have low networking and cooperation with each-other, and lack of good models and best practices in the efforts to increase transparency and fight against corruption in the health system. It is also noted that these organizations have not been able to develop stable links of communication and relations with the institutions that serve as oversight bodies of the state structure in the fight against corruption, as the Ombudsman, HAS, and HIDAACI.

THE PROGRAM

Partners Albania will work with a group of 15 patient organizations, organizations working in the health sector, and those organizations contributing to increased transparency in the health sector, primarily in seven (7) regions of Albania, respectively: Kukës, Fier, Berat, Pogradec, Dropull, Sarandë, and Shkodër. The organizations will be trained, supported and facilitated by experts in a period of one year to draft advocacy action plans targeting local and central government and public institutions to increase transparency in health. The project includes the following main activities:

• A National Roundtable with the organizations that will become part of the project, oversight bodies, as the Ombudsman, HAS, HIDAACI, and the Commissions for the Right to Information and Data Protection, and other relevant stakeholders. The Roundtable will be organized in February 2018.
• Three two – days training programs for participating CSOs focused on the organization of awareness campaigns and community mobilization; anti-corruption tools and the legal framework and existing mechanisms to increase transparency and reduce corruption; and advocacy and lobbying. The trainings will be organized during April – June 2018, in Tirana and all costs for participants (travel, accommodation, and meals) will be covered by the program.
• Coaching and assistance to develop advocacy action plans with participating CSOs through online sessions in the period of September – November 2018.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS

PA invites all interested organizations from the above-mentioned sectors and regions to send an Expression of Interest to participate in the program. The Expression of Interest should include: 

• A short CV of the organization indicating the mission, field of operation, main activities, and geographical area where the organization is located and operates (max. one page).
• The name and position of the representative of the organization participating in the program.
• Motivation of the organization to participate in the program.

The Expression of Interest should be sent by e-mail to Klotilda Tavani Kosta, Director of Programs, at ktavani@partnersalbania.org, by February 5, 2018.

The selected organizations will be notified no later than February 12, 2018, and will be provided more detailed information on the program and their participation.

The “Stronger CSOs for transparency in Health” initiative is financially supported by the Transparency in Health Engagement Activity project that is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this material are the sole responsibility of Partners Albania for Change and Development and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.”

For more information on the Transparency in Health Engagement Activity project grants program, click here.