The European ESTHER Alliance at the XVIII International AIDS Conference - Vienna, 18/23 July 2010
The European ESTHER Alliance organized a Satellite meeting at the 2010 IAS Vienna Conference. It was dedicated to the Hospital twinning as a model of good practice to improve the quality of care for those living with HIV and AIDS in developing countries through joint capacity development.
This meeting gave the opportunity to discuss the added value of the hospital twinning in a European concerted approach.
The Satellite was chaired by Ms Sigrun Møgedal, Norwegian HIV/AIDS ambassador. The European Commission (DG DEV) and partners involved in ESTHER France, Germany, Italy and Norway shared their experience and views on the ESTHER model.
Presentations made from concrete ESTHER partnerships (Germany/Rwanda; Norway/Malawi; France/Côte d'Ivoire; Italy/Burkina Faso) addressed lessons learnt, good practices and future challenges.
Main conclusions of the satellite
- the European ESTHER Alliance initiative and approach represent a huge potential to mobilize expertise for capacity building in health and further contribute in the EU role in global health, respecting the Aids effectiveness principles
- the European ESTHER Alliance initiative is a good approach to contribute in the Global Funds and other funders programs (EC) implementation in country partners
- the ESTHER model and the twinning approach favor joint capacity development, with a lot of experience coming back to the European hospitals, thus favoring reciprocity
- the twinning approach often starts at individual level but remains challenging at institutional level. A system approach involving partners at clinical level, at hospital management level, and at sector level is key to a successful model and the quality of partnership
- the twinning approach allows implementing a wide range of activities such as : operational research combined with development cooperation; capacity building in hospital on specific care programs (e.g. PMTCT); capacity building in hospital for management; capacity building in specific settings and for vulnerable populations (prisoners, IDUs) etc.
- the ESTHER model feeds the country partners authorities' reflection for health policies and national guidelines definitions
- the ESTHER model and the twinning approach are adapted to widen the scope beyond HIV/Aids for capacity building program implementation related to MDGs 4, 5, 6, and health system strengthening
Programme of the satellite and available presentations below:
Programme
European ESTHER Alliance overview
Partnership Germany/Rwanda
Partnership France/Côte d'Ivoire
European ESTHER Meeting in MADRID - April 12, 2010 A European ESTHER Alliance meeting organised by the Spanish Ministries of Health and Social Policy and Foreign Affairs took place in Madrid, April 12, under the auspices of the Spanish European Union Presidency.
The main objective of the meeting were:
I - Advocate toward the EC for partnership with the European ESTHER Alliance
II - Define the principles for the Alliance coordination mechanism
III - Set up a new working group on training and local capacity building issues
IV - Discuss common actions and share experiences
V - Update on latest developments Participating countries: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain
Agenda and
list of participants A European ESTHER Alliance meeting organised by the Italian Ministry of Health took place in Rome, December 10, 2009 , at the Italian National Institute of Health.
The main objectives of the meeting were:
I - Discuss the institutional aspects of the European ESTHER Alliance
II - Update on the national ESTHER entities development and activities
II - Present the Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group Outcomes
III - Agree on the Satellite framework for the IAS Conference in Vienna July 2010
IV - Discuss the options for partnerships with the EC and E.D.C.T.P.
VI - Discuss the framework meeting to take place in Madrid under the Spanish EU presidency in April 2010
Participating countries: France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain
Agenda and list of participants
European ESTHER Meeting in BERLIN - 8 & 9 June 2009
In the aftermath of the meeting held in Paris in November 2008 under the French UE Presidency, ESTHER Germany organisied a European ESTHER Alliance meeting, hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in June 8 & 9., 2009. The meeting took place at the GTZ Office in Berlin.
The main objectives of the meeting were:
1. Discuss the governance and institutional organisation of the European ESTHER Alliance
2. Involve the country members for common activities in 2009 and 2010
3. Discuss a common monitoring and evaluation set of indicators
4. Explore new options for the ESTHER partnerships (prevention, operational research etc.).
Agenda (English version)
Session I: The European ESTHER Alliance: Governance & institutional organisation
Session II: Presentations of partner countries with special emphasize on quality of partnerships and impact evaluation
Session III: News from ESTHER Alliance Members and Observers
Session IV: Common European activities and partnerships
Session V: Operational research as part of partnerships involving Universities; partnering between research institutions
Session VI: Strengthening prevention in the ESTHER concept
Participating Countries: European ESTHER Alliance member states (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and Spain) and all European Union Member States willing to attend the meeting.
European ESTHER Alliance
Meeting in Paris under the auspices of the French European Union Presidency
27th & 28th of November 2008
Background
The European ESTHER Alliance is a network of Governments, favouring the networking of health professionals and associations from the European region who decided to work in synergy for fighting HIV/AIDS and its disastrous consequences in developing and transitional countries through a high standard comprehensive treatment and care approach, aiming thus at contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and to Universal Access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.
A Ministerial Commitment Declaration has been signed by Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain to develop the initiative. Norway has the status of observer. More than 120 hospital twinnings have been launched from 2002 to 2008 in about 40 developing countries allowing the implementation of a wide range of activities.
The European ESTHER Alliance is an original approach to contribute increasingly to quality assurance of ART and comprehensive care roll out in the developing and transitional world. Action is implemented under the auspices of the national country partner´s authorities and in close collaboration with the international organisations, respecting international protocols and recommendations. Its specificity - hospital twinnings -makes the Alliance´s action complementary with regards of the stakeholders involved in fighting HIV/AIDS worldwide and also contributes to strengthen the capacity of the Health and Hospital systems in country partners.
Objectives of the meeting
- Launch the ESTHER Norway Initiative (Ministerial Commitment Declaration)
- Sensitize new countries to joint the Alliance
- Network with multilateral organisations (EC, GFATM, UNAIDS, UNITAID, WHO)
- Define the principles for the Alliance institutional organisation and governance
- Agree on short term common actions
Participating Countries: European ESTHER Alliance member states (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and Spain) and all European Union Member States willing to attend the meeting.
Participating multilateral organisations: The European Commission, the Global Fund the Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNITAID and WHO.
Agenda (English version) (French version)
Session I - The ESTHER concept and its European dimension
Available presentations: France - Germany - Italy - Norway - Spain -
Session II - Optimise the partnerships with the international organisations
Available presentations: GFATM - EC - UNAIDS (French version) - UNITAID - WHO
Session III - The European ESTHER Alliance: principles and institutional organisation
More information: French - English
Session IV - Perspectives for short term common action