Transcription of interview with Dr. Ndack Ly in English

My name is Mrs. Ly. Doctor Ndack Wadji. I am a dental surgeon by training and a health economist. I work at the Ministry of Health, Prevention and Public Hygiene, at the level of the Support Unit for Health Funding and Partnership. I have been Country Lead for the Ministerial Leadership Initiative in Senegal since March 2009. In regard to the Ministerial Leadership Initiative, I am in charge of coordinating all activities related to the Ministry of Health. Currently, some studies are under way, and I am responsible for their coordination. In regard to terms of reference for reproductive health, we are developing terms of reference in close collaboration with the Reproductive Health Division.

- [Question in English from interviewer: How can MLI help the MOH ?] MLI can help the Ministry of Health in the framework of harmonizing resources.

As we know, a study is under way, and with this study, we are going to try to see how technical and financial partners can gather around the Ministry so that the Ministry can have more effective and efficient resources. Another point relates to resource allocation criteria. We saw that resource distribution in Senegal was unequal and, with MLI, we are currently conducting a study to see how to distribute available health resources to the various structures of the health pyramid--namely hospitals, health centers and health posts. A third component is the Reproductive Health component, a very important point, because we have seen until now that maternal and child mortality is very high in Senegal and that women die as they give life. So, MLI is currently really helping us to create documents that will make it possible to conduct a site analysis in terms of free reproductive health services, because many free services are offered for cesareans and childbirth, and to see even in regard to the plan of the Reproductive Health Division, how this plan can be improved, in terms of human and financial resources to cover all mother and child problems.

- [Question in English from interviewer : Why does the Ministry need MLI?]

The Health Ministry needs MLI mostly in terms of leadership, because, actually, resources are important, but it is also necessary to know how to manage these resources, manage staff members, manage executives at the Ministry of Health. And we think that MLI is going to bring us a lot, because they have another way of doing things, and we have observed since the process started that people are really interested, they’re even interested in what MLI does in terms of reproductive health and sectorial approach. And we think that with MLI, once we have all the documents that are currently being developed, once they are completed, when it comes to implementation in the field, MLI will give us support and guidance in the field in terms of capability strengthening and financial support.