International Development Grant
Strengthening Health Systems in Africa and the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF)
Project Number: CA-3-A033090001
Status: Closed
Country/Region: Unknown
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $15,124,105.00
Start Date: May 31, 2007
End Date: September 28, 2012
Duration: 5.3 years
Project Description
This project aims to improve the health services available to poor populations in Africa by supporting the implementation of the African Medical and Research Foundation's (AMREF) 2007-2017 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan aims to address gaps in health systems by enhancing capacity and participation in the health sector. The first component of AMREF's Strategic Plan consists of strengthening health systems by: working with communities to improve the quality of front-line health services and access to those services training health personnel and influencing health policy and programming across Africa. The second component of the Strategic Plan consists of strengthening AMREF's ability to deliver its mandate for example by improving program design management monitoring and evaluation and the ability to mobilize and manage financial resources. Headquartered in Nairobi Kenya AMREF has country offices in Ethiopia Kenya South Africa South Sudan Tanzania and Uganda. AMREF provides training and consulting support through a network that reaches nearly 42 countries across the continent. AMREF works with approximately 200 communities to improve the quality of health services and access to health services in isolated rural communities slum areas and conflict zones. Project activities ended in September 2012 but the project remains in operational status as an evaluation is being undertaken.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of the end of the project (September 2012): AMREF grew from five country offices and training and consultancy programs in 17 countries to seven country offices (two being regional hubs) with programs in 35 countries. AMREF’s programming grew from 105 projects to 160 and almost doubled financially with the majority of projects being in the area of maternal newborn and child health. This growth is a result of AMREF’s increased ability to manage large projects and provide support to its country offices and also increased donor confidence in AMREF’s organizational systems and skills. AMREF started to measure population coverage in 2010. Since 2010 AMREF’s reach has grown from approximately 5 million people (40% women) to over 21.5 million people (57% women) in approximately 200 underserved communities in 42 countries. Between 2010 and 2012 AMREF trained approximately 500 000 health workers (60% women). AMREF helped to improve the skills of Africa’s health workforce by developing a Masters degree program in Public Health an e-learning diploma program in Community Health (115 health workers from 15 countries have graduated) a Community Health Nursing diploma upgrade program (over 8 000 nurses have upgraded from a certificate to a diploma) and Bachelor of Science programs in Community Health and in Nursing Education. In 2010 AMREF developed a curriculum on strengthening health system governance leadership and management and trained 76 trainers from 17 African countries to provide this training in their respective countries. AMREF health models and approaches have been adopted by African Ministries of Health and AMREF is called upon to attend high-level World Health Organization meetings to help Ministries of Health develop national policy and to contribute to international health policy development. AMREF won several awards: the World Federation of Public Health Associations 2012 Award for outstanding achievements and contributions to
Key Information
Executing Agency:
AMREF - African Medical and Research Foundation
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
WGM Africa
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Core support to NGOs other private bodies PPPs and research institutes
Collaboration: Bilateral core contributions to NGOs and other private bodies / PPPs
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP