CAREC Health Strategy – CAREC Health Cooperation

One Region – One Health Strategy

Countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus are tackling three big challenges:

How to improve health care access and quality
How to maintain regional health security and pandemic preparedness in an increasingly connected world
How to respond to the health impact of climate change

Given the increasing interconnectedness and common health challenges across the region, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) member countries agreed to deepen regional cooperation in health. Regional health cooperation facilitates dialogue and knowledge exchange, leveraging economies of scale, harmonization of regulation and standards, and development of joint regional approaches and mechanisms to common health challenges.

The 11 CAREC countries benefit from being part of a program which facilitates dialogue and supports them in their efforts. With a dedicated CAREC Health Strategy 2030 and Regional Investment Framework for Health 2022-2027 (RIF), and a forum to share experiences, seek advice and work together in geographical clusters – the CAREC Working Group on Health, they can say:

“Together we are stronger, healthier and more climate change resilient.”

Related

The Drivers of Health Security

There are three main drivers of regional health security:

the resilience of country health systems,
migration and increasing connectivity, and
the impacts of both urbanization and the health impact of climate change, including increased antimicrobial resistance and more extreme weather events.

Weaknesses in health systems across CAREC countries include inadequate regulatory capacity and planning, funding and human resources for health gaps, suboptimal laboratory systems, poorly coordinated disease surveillance, and insufficient financial protection. Labor migrants, an important component of increased connectivity along economic corridors, often have poor living conditions with limited access to health care and social protection.

These factors do not operate in isolation: they are heavily influenced by the social determinants of health such as poverty, and gender inequities as well as the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases.

Scoping Study on CAREC Health Cooperation

A scoping study conducted in 2021 evaluated the potential of CAREC as a regional platform for promoting regional health cooperation, and profiled health sector trends in the region.

The study found CAREC countries face multiple challenges in regional health security and health systems development, with migrants, mobile populations and border communities particularly disadvantaged when it comes to health care. The study identified many opportunities for regional cooperation that can build on countries’ joint legacy, geographic proximity, and existing cross-border cooperation.

The study recommended action in three overall and interlinked strategic areas for regional health cooperation:

strengthening regional health security
supporting health systems development through regional cooperation
improving health care for migrants, mobile populations, and border communities.

The findings of the scoping study were used to inform the CAREC Health Strategy 2030.

CAREC Health Strategy 2030

The CAREC Health Strategy 2030 is routed on cooperation, coordination, equity, evidence, sustainability, ownership and alignment as main principles. Why?

Regional health cooperation is key for building more resilient health systems and effective health security across the region. Cooperation can maximize the impact of interventions in health systems through taking advantage of and building on existing initiatives.

Fostering multisector coordination is crucial to achieve public health outcomes. It involves collaboration among ministries, agencies, academia, and civil society. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for interagency platforms. Also, effective management using One Health approaches requires holistic coordination across various factors.

Focusing on vulnerable populations to ensure they are not excluded from health care. CAREC health initiatives address barriers like high costs and accessibility issues, particularly at the primary care level. Regular monitoring ensures the benefits of initiatives include the most vulnerable segments of the population and consider women’s specific needs.

Using the best evidence and focusing on feasibility are important to ensure successful implementation. Gap or needs assessments guide project design, ensuring steps align with evidence and reality. Pilot testing fosters innovation and learning from new approaches.

Safeguarding sustainability and ownership in aligning the CAREC Health Strategy with national priorities and promote long-term achievements. Cooperative national ownership and a phased approach allow lessons learned from one phase to inform the next.

Alignment with global health policies and frameworks means integrating initiatives such as International Health Regulations (2005), WHO’s NCDs Global Monitoring Framework, and globally accepted ethical guidelines. The CAREC Health Strategy is also aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and commitments to universal health coverage.

With a framework to guide its work and a regional investment plan to make it happen, the CAREC Health Strategy strives for an ambitious vision: “public health threats in the CAREC region are addressed comprehensively, efficiently, and sustainably through adopting a regional approach while safeguarding the needs of the most vulnerable segments of the population.”

The strategy stands on four thematic pillars:

All of this work is supported by important crosscutting themes of gender, innovation, and digital health.

The CAREC Health Strategy 2030 lays out a vision for a healthier, secure, sustainable, and climate-resilient future. Its implementation roadmap, the Regional Investment Framework for Health 2022-2027, shows how it can be done. The strategy and investment framework are CAREC country-owned, and rooted in shared values of equity, cooperation, evidence-informed decision-making, and sustainability.

CAREC Health Strategy