Welcome to the thematic blog writing

Introduction

Starting this week, we are introducing thematic blog writing with a special issue on health financing. we are welcoming our partners to the thematic (health systems building blocks) blogs i.e. focusing on Health Financing, Service delivery (Maternal health) and Governance (community resources and other governance structures)

The blogs and discussion forum is intended to facilitate all members of the KTNET Africa teamand the coalition partners to share information about their activities, share good implementation practices and network with like-minded people. It is therefore a valuable communication channel for shared learning across partners. During the thematic phase, topics will focus on Service delivery (maternal and child health) Health financing and Community Governance (community resources and other governance structures)which are the focus of KTNET Africa partners’ work.

Objectives of the thematic blogs are;

1.To promote knowledge sharing across the network focusing on the areas of research our partners are working in.

2. To promote learning around evidence uptake, innovations and use strategies among partners in their areas of research.

Initially, the bloggers will write about issues that will stimulate a discussion and are pertinent to our partners’ work keeping the focus on the themes above. The blogs will then be shared with a wider community via social media platforms and the KTNET website and discussions stimulated.

We will schedule topics for each theme (proposed topics are indicated in table 4) and other topics will be birthed from the discussions that will happen over themonth. To maintain efficiency during the writing, 10 guidelines have been posted on the KTNET website for the bloggers to follow.

Role of the secretariat

  1. Host the platform
  2. Schedule writing responsibilities
  3. Send reminders to writers two weeks in advance.

Roles of the Partners

1. Registration on the KTNET website in order to be able to participate in the discussions

  1. Writing blogs
  2. Contributing to discussions on the existing articles

The writing teams have been formed based on the coalitions’ core themes and the expertise of the secretariat. A theme lead from the secretariat has been assigned to each writing team as indicated in the table below.

Coalition / Thematic theme / Writing teams
KTNET secretariat / Partners
Rwanda / MNCH / Dr. Elizabeth Ekirapa (theme lead)
Socialab-Senegal / Ms. Angela Kisakye / Dr. Winny Koster /
Dr. Aicha Marceline Sarr
Other coalition researchers.
MHSAR / Mr. Rornald Kananura / Dr. Leon Mutesa
Dr. Duan Blaaw and other coalition researchers.
Accelerate / Ms. Sophie Goyet / Dr. Abdallah Ibrahim and other coalition researchers.
Uganda / Governance
(community resources and inputs) / Mr. David Walugembe (theme lead) / Dr. Denis Muhangi and other coalition researchers.
Rwanda / Dr. Olico Okui / Leon Mutesa and other coalition researchers
Burundi/DRC / Mr. Moses Tetui / Dr. Georges Nsengiyumva and other coalition researchers
CoHEiSiON / Health Financing / Dr. Suzanne Kiwanuka (theme lead) / Dr. Edward Nketiah and other coalition researchers
CBHI –Ethiopia / Assoc Prof. Elizeus Rutebemberwa / Dr. Getnet Alemu and other coalition researchers.
Assoc Prof. Freddie Sengooba

Table 1: Thematic blog writing teams

Scheduled writers will include both secretariat and coalition partners. Each week we shall have a theme based blog written and it will be the focus of the discussion for the entire month. We shall invite partners and other external writers/guest bloggers.Any one who wants to contribute a guest blog contact us on .

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Table 4: Proposed topics topics

Table 2:Some of theproposed topics

Health Financing
1. Barriers to enrollment in Ghana's NHIS
2. Clients and Providers' Perception of Quality Care
3. The Role of Social Capital in Health Insurance Enrollment in Ghana
4.Perceived Quality and Enrollment in Ghana's NHIS
5. Impact of the national health insurance scheme on quality health services delivery in Ghana: views of health workers
Governance (community resources and inputs)
1. Informal information systems for health
2. Social helping for health
3.Community mobilization approaches from the field
Maternal child health
1. Quality of care during antenatal
2. Health workers attitude
3. Laboratory testing during antenatal

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