Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Historically the Development Corporation Ireland has played a very important role in supporting the Ministry of health and social welfare, particularly in the areas of developing an effective national tuberculosis programme, laboratory services as well as nutrition, maternal health, implementation of the integrated management of childhood illnesses strategy and the expanded programme of immunisation under the primary health care initiative. Currently, DCI supports strengthening of the national response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, development of a rational memorandum of understanding between CHAL and the Lesotho government as well the decentralisation strategy currently being piloted by the Ministry. The form of support provided by DCI varies from procurement of equipment (both medical and office) and medical supplies such as reagents, staff development and training, consultancies, the demographic health survey and capacity building in the areas of financial management and coordination of the public/private coordinating Unit within the Ministry. Both CHAL and the Ministry benefit from DCI support.

In 2004/05 alone DCI contribution to the development budget was approximately 26% which included support to CHAL (27%), construction of office accommodation for the Ministry (34%), health sector reform including decentralisation and capacity building (27%).

German Government

The German government through the Kreditant Fur Wiederaufbau (KFW) has provided support to the Ministry of Health Social welfare in the areas of maternal and adolescent health through the provision of educative material and equipment, medical equipment, staff training as well as the provision of contraceptive materials equipment and supplies, including condoms. This was a five year project which ended in December 2004. Other providers such as the Lesotho Planned parenthood association, CHAL an community based organisations also benefited from this support.

Norwegian Government

The Norwegian government has been supporting the Ministry through the Thaba Bosiu Centre which provides preventive and rehabilitative services for alcohol and drug abuse. This support came to an end in March 2005. The Ministry currently benefits from support in the rehabilitation and prevention of disability through strengthening of community based initiatives and development of a national policy framework for disability. Support has taken the form of training of health workers and other stakeholders, procurement of office equipment and specialised equipment for disabled persons as well as capacity building at the National Institute for Vocational Rehabilitation. Norway support made up close to 2% of the development budget in 2004/05

European Union

The European Union support has focused on health sector reform particularly building capacity for monitoring and evaluation as well as decentralisation. Support has taken the form of equipment procurement and commissioning of long-term technical assistance for development of policies and guidelines to support these two areas. EU support made up approximately 2.8% of the development budget in 2004/05.

African Development Bank

The African development Bank has supported the refurbishment of district hospitals through the Rural Health Development Project which ended in 2004. All government hospitals except the referral hospital were refurbished and equipped and training was provided in the areas of maintenance. During Phase I of the health sector reform programme, ADB support focused the Health Centre rationalisation study as well as the Health Study to assess the actual infrastructure situation in the country and to inform decisions on infrastructure development, particularly that of CHAL facilities. Currently the ADB is involved in the health sector reform programme, focusing on refurbishment and expansion of the National Health Training College, Refurbishment of National Psychiatric Referral Hospital. These projects include training for personnel in these institutions as well as procurement of the relevant equipment. ADB support is also directed at strengthening the Social Welfare department through training of personnel, particularly in the areas of child and geriatric welfare as well as developing sustainable policies for the management of vulnerable groups and paupers.

In 2004/05, ADB support to the Ministry made up 18% of the total development budget.

Global Fund

Global fund support commenced in 2004. The focus of the Global Fund support to the Ministry is in the area of tuberculosis, though the national AIDS Programme receives support from global fund through collaboration with the National AIDS Secretariat. Support from global fund has taken the form of procurement of office equipment, training of health personnel on treatment guidelines as well as development of policies for this programme. In 2004/05, Global fund contribution to the development budget was approximately 11%.

World Bank

The Ministry has benefited from the World Bank through the Population, Health & Nutrition project which was. One of the outcomes of this project was the construction of Filter Clinics the two cities, Maputsoe and three in the capital Maseru. Currently the World Bank supports the reform programme. During Phase one of this programme various studies were commissioned in the areas of pharmaceuticals management, Infrastructure maintenance and management, human resources assessment and strategic planning, financial management information systems, Health baseline study and the assessment of the economic efficiency of national referral services. World Bank also supported technical assistance for procurement and financial management as well as long and short-term training of personnel in various disciplines. The World Bank has also provided support to the Demographic Health Survey currently being undertaken in the Ministry. One of the outcomes to come out of the Phase II of World Bank support is a public/ private partnership for the construction and management of a national referral hospital. Preparations and negotiations for this arrangement have been initiated. In addition to health sector reform the World Bank also supports strengthening of the national strategy for HIV/AIDS through training and provision of technical assistance for the National AIDS programme. In 2004/05 World Bank support made up approximately 10% of the development budget.

Bristol Meyer Squibb

In partnership with local practitioners and Bristol Meyer Squibb, the Ministry has initiate a process of establishing a Communicable diseases Complex at Bots`abelo which currently provides treatment to AIDS patients through provision of anti-retrovirals. Support from BMS focuses on procurement of equipment, technical assistance and provides support to NGO’s working in AIDS. The project duration is three years for which the total budget is M26.7 million.

Cuban government

The Cuban government has provided support to the Ministry through the provision of doctors. This was a two year arrangement which ended in March 2005. The calibre of doctors ranged from general practitioners to various specialties and they were distributed in various facilities around the country.

World Health Organisation (UNICEF)

The World Health Organisation has provided support in the areas of maternal health care, disease surveillance, environmental health, health education and promotion, control and prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, pharmaceuticals and health systems development. Support has been mainly in the form of providing training in guidelines and protocols (as defined by the WHO) for various programmes in the sector as well. Training of health personnel is an important areas where WHO has provided training of Basotho nationals in Medicine in different parts of the SADC region. In the interests of equitable access, both CHAL and government health service areas benefit from WHO support.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF Lesotho has provided support to the health sector in areas of child survival and development, particularly the National Immunisation Programme, promoting breastfeeding and nutrition programme. Support from UNICEF is mainly the provision of essential supplies, vaccines and equipment and logistics for immunisation of under-fives. Support has also been in promotion of adequate child care practices through provision of relevant information, education and communication materials. Support has been directed at strengthening community based structures through the provision of community health worker kits and training of this cadre. Health sector personnel have also benefited from training on new health technologies, such as the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, that are introduced in the international arena, particularly the SADC region. Over time support has also been broadened to accommodate the increasing number of orphans in the country. In the interests of equitable access, both CHAL and government health service areas benefit from UNICEF.