CHF-DMA-0489-074 “Health cluster coordination and emergency preparedness in Somalia” – 151,679$

Limited humanitarian access and emergency coordination support in an environment of chronic conflict and mass displacement pose serious challenges for the provision of urgently needed health services to the current 2.4 million Somali people in need of humanitarian assistance  (FSNAU, 2011).

The Health Cluster consists of a group of more than 35 active health partners (5 UN agencies, 30 international and local NGOs, and in addition the ICRC and MSF as observers). It also collaborates with Nutrition, WASH and emergency shelter clusters to generate an integrated humanitarian health response.

Existing processes and tools need to be improved to address adequately the gaps on evidence-based foundation. The leadership of the health cluster is imperative to make sure that workplans are based on technical guidelines and international standards, instead of individual agency plans “knitted together” on an ad-hoc basis. Actions in this funding proposal respond to the disconnect between Nairobi and field coordination mechanisms and is vetted on better understanding of the field needs. Coordination structures will be revitalized to be more rational, efficient and effective. Consideration is given on how best to ensure valid participation by genuine partners while not to compromise on quality and capacity of the emergency response. Improvement in the strategic-decision making will be the cornerstone with the aim of fostering more natural linkages between relief and development.