Today, the Network of AIDS and Health Service Organizations of South Sudan (NASOSS) had a significant meeting with the Hon. Dr. Justine Kawac Kawac, who chairs the South Sudan AIDS Commission (SSAC). NASOSS presented a position paper that was developed during the Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) meeting held just a few weeks prior, on July 24-25, in Juba.
It focused on strengthening domestic health financing and improving healthcare standards.
The CSRG meeting proposed:
Increased Budget Allocation to15% of the national budget to health, with 5% of that amount specifically dedicated to critical areas like HIV, TB, Hepatitis, and Malaria. We suggested innovative funding sources, such as sin taxes on harmful products and levies, to help achieve this goal.
* National Health Insurance Scheme: We advocated for the creation of a national health insurance scheme to spread financial risk and significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenses for citizens. We referenced models from countries like Ethiopia and Kenya, proposing funding from government savings on medical tourism and medical institutional expenditures, as well as contributions from both employers and Individuals.
* Leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): We emphasized the need to formalize private sector engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to further supplement government efforts.
The discussion was not only great but also a powerful step forward. It highlighted the shared commitment between CSOs and the SSAC in the fight against HIV in the country.
A key takeaway from the meeting was the mutual desire to find ways to mobilize resources for the HIV response and fight the stigma and discrimination among PLHIV.
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