Technical Working Groups

  Overview

Objectives

The establishment of Technical Working Groups (TWGs) under the HPG is to align with the Five-year health sector development plan (HSDP) and other strategic plans and health priorities, through technical recommendations for key policy issues in a number of areas of the health sector.

TWGs come under the authority of the Ministry of Health (MOH), with the participation of relevant ministry departments, key development partners and other stakeholders. TWGs fulfill a pro-active coordinating role, helping to bring new ideas and issues to the attention of senior sector policy makers and managers, and providing rapid technical responses to issues emerging from ongoing planning and reform processes.

Operation

In general, a TWG is chaired by a MOH Administration/Department leader (Director or Deputy Director level), and co-chaired by a Development Partner (DP) representative. The membership of TWGs is open to all interested stakeholders whose work is directly or indirectly relevant to the area of focus.

TWGs work through different channels, in which meeting periodically or on an ad-hoc mode based on demands is their main way. They have developed their own TORs as guidance for organization and operation. 

Areas of support

The key themes for the TWGs’ work correspond to priority areas of the 5-year HSDP or may emerge from mutual concerns between MOH and Development Partners (DPs). They may also include cross-cutting issues and other areas based on the needs identified by the HPG, such as monitoring and evaluation, human resources, etc.

Until now, there are 10 TWGs that have covers areas of nutrition, reproductive health, health environment, health human resource, local health systems, health information, health planning and financing, medical services, pharmaceuticals, and hospital quality management.

Linkage with HPG

TWGs are sub-groups of the HPG which are designated to propose key policy issues for discussion at HPG meetings. TWGs are a mechanism through which decisions made by the HPG can be followed-up at sub-sectoral level, and TWGs are accountable to the HPG for following up on decisions that fall within their mandate.

TWGs are officially facilitated by the HPG, which is responsible for their formation and termination, where appropriate. They have to periodically report to HPG on a rotational basis.

For more information:

TWG establishment guidelines

Technical Working Groups as identified in VHPD

Study on the Status of TWGs and their linkages with the HPG: Analysis and Recommendations

  List of TWGs (along date of establishment)

Potential technical areas

There are a number of technical areas that are drawing attention of MOH as well as international community, which would be considered to be the topic of newly established TWGs:

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

Aging population