Over the next three years, the countries of Ethiopia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Sierra Leone will receive technical advisement, mentorship, and tailored support as part of an innovative project designed by MLI to strengthen the leadership capacity of Ministers of Health and their staff.

We'll follow the progress of each country as they work toward the following areas of health reform:

·  Ethiopia, lead by Minister of Health, Hon. (Dr.) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, will be enhancing its highly acclaimed Health Sector Development Plan-III (HSDP-III) with a special focus on reforms related to resource mobilization and utilization, and donor harmonization

·  Mali, lead by Minister of Health, Hon. (Mr.) Ibrahima Touré, will be working with the MLI team to implement the national level health and social development program PRODESS II to enhance financial fairness through its community-based mutuelles programs to allow increased health access for the poor.

·  Nepal, lead by Minister of Health, Hon. (Mr.) Girirajmani Pokharel, will work with MLI to strengthen the capacity of the ministerial team to implement the Health Sector Reform Support Programme (HSRSP) which has as its goal to promote "health for all" as a fundamental human right.

·  Senegal, lead by Minister of Health, Hon. (Madame) Safiatou Thiam, will launch a new policy initiative to improve the coordination of the new 2009-2018 Ten-Year Plan (Plan National de Dévelopement Sanitaire [PNDS]) and to ensure the effectiveness and fairness of government spending on health to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's).

·  Sierra Leone, lead by Minister of Health, Hon. (Dr.) Soccoh Kabia, will focus on integrating health financing for equity tools and reforms into its reproductive and child health program and will also launch a new donor harmonization effort.