Mecklina Isasi Hornung

• Assessed the health system landscapes, stakeholders and needs in identified East and West African Countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Ghana) through market research with local healthcare enterprises, private health sector associations and the government
• Developed a growing pipeline of over 67 healthcare enterprises in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana and Seria Leone with diverse technical needs, including clinical service providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors, and digital health innovators
• Successfully identified 260 technical skills required for each remote assistance project and matched 60+ expert volunteers from the consortium of corporate partners to provide remote technical assistance
• Successfully facilitated the implementation of 26 remote technical assistance projects from start to finish, focusing on the supply chain for local supply chain companies, leadership and management, inventory management improvement, quality improvement initiatives, workforce planning and management, and resource mobilization strategies for clinical service providers, group health insurance, business and data systems development, and digital health companies in Africa
• Worked with the M&E officer to develop MEL framework to measure the impact on communities served by the healthcare enterprises supported with remote technical assistance
• Successfully developed and implemented project reports and plans for internal and external use
• Worked together with the Volunteer Engagement Manager and Partnership Manager to develop project case studies for internal use
• Developed a learnings database on the role of the private sector in improving healthcare access, common technical challenges and solutions, characteristics of successful enterprises, ecosystem barriers etc
• Engaged with Expert Volunteers from Merck KGaA, Johnson & Johnson, Achmea Holding N.V, Intermountain and MedStar Health, who offered technical expertise, ingenuity, and health systems knowledge by providing remote technical assistance to local African companies
• Presented BHS highlights and results at various forums
• Successfully presented BHS to senior government and other stakeholders to increase the visibility of BHS’s work and initiate discussion around potential collaborations.
• Built client relationships by responding to inquiries, identifying and assessing clients' needs, resolving problems, and following up with potential and existing clients.

The project focused on addressing, among other issues, the need for more financing impacts on the ability of health service providers, especially faith-based private health providers, to purchase and maintain adequate medical supplies, increasing healthcare access to the community. My responsibilities were as follows;

• Provided technical assistance in the design and operationalization of a revolving fund, which was recommended after a deep dive assessment commissioned by USAID Global Health’s Center for Innovation and Impact in 2018
• Explored ways blended financial solutions might lead to ensuring a robust national medical supply chain and uninterrupted healthcare services to the community in Tanzania
• Developed the fund structure to address FBOs' three key challenges: awareness about financial products, access to formal lending sources, and ability to use financial skills effectively
• Assessed feasibility of legal structure and explored concessional/de-risking options
• Assessed and developed the training materials for Christian Social Services Commission/Faith-Based hospitals, including for the fund manager.
• Developed National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) invoice discounting the mode of lending during the pilot phase of the fund with buy-in from key stakeholders.
• Developed Fund operating model and Periodic disbursement of loans to member facilities against NHIF invoices
• Developed key fund parameters and criteria for recruiting the hospital is in place and ready for use.

SHOPS Plus conducted a gender analysis in Tanzania to identify challenges affecting women-owned health businesses. The analysis evaluated barriers and opportunities related to the key women’s economic empowerment and equality categories of markets, finance, assets, and human capital in the health sector. With this analysis now complete, I was assigned the following tasks;

• Design and deliver a training intervention focused on the finding, which was delivered over WhatsApp.
• Work as the primary points of contact with the local sustainability partner, and served as a co-moderator and subject matter expert available to facilitate learning events over WhatsApp and answer questions.
• Participated in monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities, and wrote technical reports for various stakeholders including funders, and participants.

SHOPS Plus improves access to credit for private providers to enhance or expand their practices. The project helps providers strengthen business management skills to improve their overall business operations, and helps financial institutions expand their private health sector business.

• Engaged with private health facilities to increase effective collection, integration, and utilization of private sector data and market intelligence for informed private-sector decision making
• Engaged with senior staff of CRDB bank to develop strategies for building a health sector loan pipeline
• This resulted in establishing and maintaining a steady volume of loan applications for CRDB, with the Health Sector pipeline currently standing at US$ 10.6 million
• Developed and fostered strong partnership between the financial institutions and private health sector associations, Government, National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), Population Services International (PSI) and equipment suppliers to provide loans to their member health facilities and clients
• Provided technical support to 102 private healthcare providers to strengthen their business management skills and obtain needed financial support from financial institutions
• Supported overall sales and business development activities of the financial institutions and developed a strong pipeline of private health sector providers
• Trained 300 bank personnel on sales and credit evaluation techniques for the loan applications received from private health sector
• Presented SHOPS Plus to senior government and other stakeholders to increase the visibility of SHOPS Plus’ work and initiate discussion around potential collaborations.

• Conducted Business and Financial management Assessment at St. Francis Hospital
• Supported clients with business analysis, documentation, and data modeling.
• Analyzed problematic areas to provide recommendations and solutions.
• Developed effective improvement plans in alignment with goals and specifications.

• Worked with the Secretary-General and the management team to re-envision TEC organizational structure, developed, and implemented a three-year strategic plan
• Led redesigning the leadership team and Board, with job descriptions for staff across all directorates and departments and implemented culture change initiatives
• Developed and executed comprehensive business plans for all income-generating enterprises, including investment plans, operational plans, human resources and capacity building plans, marketing plans, and cash flow and profit projections for TEC
• Developed and implemented measurement metrics on overall TEC organization goal and performance and built-in new metrics and took these forwards to measure profitability and performance
• Expanded and diversified the institutional funding portfolio for all income generating enterprises including hostel, animal husbandry farm, coffee farm, insurance company
• Established and deepened partnerships with different groups and businesses to enhance marketing effectiveness and strengthen funding streams
• Supervised over 340 staff and provided technical assistance to the management on strategic staffing plans, compensations, benefits, training and development, budget, and labour relations for the directorate
• Served as the primary contact person for Development Partners and other key stakeholder relationships, and as the person to make one-on-one fund-raising solicitations
• Supported the overall program management, planning, and budgeting of $2.2 million of the income-generating enterprises for 2016, 2018
• Participated as a member of the senior management team.

• Established a legitimate Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Health, Local Government and St. Francis Hospital

• Conducted Private Health Sector Lending Assessment

• Conducted mapping of Continues Professional Development (CPD) courses at Higher Learning Institutions and Regional Referral Hospitals in Tanzania

• In collaboration with Touch Foundation and CSSC, developed Health Systems Management Continuing Professional Development Training

• Strengthening the collaboration between private health facilities and government for improved quality in health service delivery in Mbeya and Dar es Salaam

• Developed and fostered a strategic partnership with the MoH and local governments to enhance adherence to policy and legal frameworks for engagement of Church (FBOs) health facilities in 20 Councils
• Fostered innovation through a strategic partnerships with universities, development partners, NGOs and other associations such as Association for Private Health Facilities (APHFTA) and the Private Nurses and Midwives Association of Tanzania (PRINMAT) to provide technical assistance on health financing and health systems strengthening projects, with emphasis on health insurance coverage, private sector contracting approaches and partnerships
• Played a critical supportive role in forming functional Public-Private Partnership (PPP) forums in 20 Districts in collaboration with Ministry of Health and discussed all the PPP-related issues, including progress and challenges in the implementation of Service Agreement at the council level
• Mobilized and leveraged financial and non-financial resources and incentives to improve private sector capacity, responsiveness, and economic sustainability
• Facilitated and identified strategic topics to engage in a policy dialogue on providing public health services in the private sector
• This resulted thew new version of Service Agreement Templates was finalized and implemented by the Government and private health facilities
• Served on the PPP technical working group in the Ministry of Health and participated in the development partners’ meetings
• Participated as a member of the management team and implemented the management decision at all levels
• Conducted costing analysis of health services provision for Faith-based health facilities in Tanzania
• Led and managed a team of 30 data collectors for the National Health Costing Study, which was used to inform decision-makers on the costs of delivering health services in Tanzania funded by USAID, GIZ, and MoH

• Conducted Costing of healthcare services towards universal health coverage

• Improved adherence to Public Private Partnership (PPP) legal frameworks by involving key stakeholders from public and private sector in Njombe and Makete Districts

• Assessed the Health Training Institutions and Regional Hospitals to increase enrolment of students for middle cadre programmes in 7 regions
• Assessed the capacity of Regional Hospitals as training ground for the mid - level cadres
• Completed the assessment of the remaining Health Training Institutions’ capacity to add more training Programs.

• Led a research team for the “Comprehensive National Health Services Costing Study”

• Provided managerial and technical support to 46 health facilities who implemented a Performance Based Financing (PBF) project, and to 17 hospitals who implemented a Hospital benchmark project Ministry of Health adopted both projects
• Engaged with the Ministry of Health staff on creating awareness of the projects, resulting in MoH and local governments adopting both projects and contributing to a facility financing approach
• Promoted community participation in the health facility management by strengthening Facility Health Governance Committees
• Assisted the health facilities in implementing costing models and cost breakdowns for negotiations of reimbursement schemes, e.g., Service Agreements in the framework of Public-Private Partnership (PPP), and National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)
• Assisted in the preparation of technical reports and project deliverables
• Supported the overall program management, planning, and budgeting of $1,000,000 Performance-Based Financing and Benchmark project
• Provided technical leadership to key project personnel and expanding the scalability of Performance - Based Financing and benchmark projects in 87 health facilities in Tanzania
• Assisted with the design of field programs, including a challenge fund to support the implementation of Performance -Based Financing and benchmark projects in 87 health facilities
• Collaborated with USAID and GIZ to build the capacity of 200 hospital managers on management and leadership skills
• Coordinated field support activities with other donors and international organizations.

• Introduced and managed the Hospital Benchmark project in Tanzanian hospitals as an analytical tool for improved decision making
• The benchmarking tool allows health facilities to measure performance and to compare this with national standards and peer hospitals
• Provided technical support to strengthen the management teams of health facilities for effective provision of healthcare services
• Ensured implementation of project strategies, identified field support opportunities and technical assistant needs, advocated for linkage of research tasks and other core funded activities
• Served as liaison between Development Partners and CSSC staff
• Assessed project risks and issues and provided solutions where applicable and insured that stakeholder views are managed towards the best solutions