Building Bridges: Engaging Stakeholders in Crafting Standard Operating Procedures for Social Contracting for Health in Namibia

Attendees of the workshop on standard operating procedures for social contracting

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) gathered stakeholders at Midgard Country Estate to consult on standard operating procedures for social contracting. Attendees included the social contracting technical working group and key stakeholders responsible for governance, procurement guidance, financial management, implementation, and monitoring. Together, they collaborated on financing and implementation strategies for social contracting in health care services. The goal was to reach consensus on precise implementation plans and outline the path ahead, encompassing regional dissemination, pilot planning, and early implementation phases scheduled for later in the year.

The USAID-funded LHSS project continues to offer technical assistance for the development of standard operating procedures, ensuring compliance with Namibian legal frameworks, building on previous LHSS support in facilitating the development of the social contracting policy, which was approved by Cabinet in 2022.

Moving forward, LHSS will persist in supporting the next phases of social contracting implementation, including the identification of potential pilot civil society organizations once implementation tools are finalized.