CEF Events Bring a Unique Networking Value
When we implement experiential approach to learning, we ask the participants to process and reflect on their learning experiences. In line with this effort, we recently talked to Goran Drakulić who is responsible for USAID's Fiscal Sector Reform Activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We were interested in how his attendance at the learning initiative, which examined possible approaches to the improvement of health care systems financing, allowed him to connect the lessons learned to his daily work. The workshop was delivered as part of the “Strengthening Financial Management Functions of Line Ministries’’ project, funded through the Strengthening Accountability and the Fiduciary Environment (SAFE) Trust Fund.
“At the “Managing Health Care Costing and Financing” workshop I presented the experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Republic of Srpska in integrating the health care sector into the treasury system along with the lessons learned during the implementation phase. The presentation offered a realistic overview of the healthcare reform priorities and challenges we faced in our efforts to pursue the application of treasury concept into the health sector which is a challenging task when one needs to keep in mind also the complicated constitutional arrangement of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In my view, such sharing of country experiences is positive, as it gives the opportunity to exchange different approaches to the same reform and establishes mutual understanding. I appreciated open and honest discussion among participants on the challenges we all face in ensuring better management of health care policies.
The event also served as a unique networking opportunity. The contacts I made with the IMF and World Bank representatives directly influenced my work afterwards, resulting in several meetings of our team with the IMF and WB mission representatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Another direct result of my participation at this event facilitated by the CEF is a better understanding of the USAID supported treasury reform concept applied in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina by other international agencies, and better coordination of activities between different international organizations supporting the same reform – strengthening of financing capacities in the health sector.”