Welcome to the Web site for the 2010 LAC Health Managers’ State of the Art (SOTA) Meeting. The Meeting took place Monday, March 8 through Friday March 12.

The SOTA was an opportunity for USAID PHN staff to obtain critical technical, programmatic, and other updates. It also provided a forum for exchange of information and ideas with colleagues in other Missions and USAID/W. This training and regional knowledge sharing improved working relationships, particularly among new USAID staff.

Meeting objectives were:

1. To update staff on state-of-the-art technical issues underlying USAID’s global work in health and in the LAC region in particular. Key issues include maximizing the impact of declining family planning funding in the region, broadening our programs on infectious diseases, scaling up best practices in maternal and neonatal health, and the continuing to support sustainable improvements in health systems strengthening.
2. To discuss pertinent policy priorities of the new administration. These include the Global Health Initiative, the Global Food Security Initiative, the Global Climate Change Initiative, and the DLI program. Leadership from both bureaus will speak at the meeting and will participate in dialogue with field staff.
3. To bring USAID’s staff up to date with USAID policy and legal guidance that they need in order to represent the Agency effectively and in full compliance with USG and Agency requirements. This includes refreshing and reinforcing policies directly related to family planning and the child survival sub-accounts.
4. To reinforce a leadership role for USAID in building better health systems in Latin America, boosting knowledge and skills needed for operating effectively in the whole-of-government environment.

The meeting provided participants opportunities to build skills and increase knowledge on scientific issues, policies, and current programming trends as well as opportunities for sharing lessons learned with key experts. In addition, there were opportunities to strengthen working relationships among operating units and facilitate on-going communications between missions and Washington.

Topics were selected based on the results of a survey of staff in the field and Washington. The meeting included sessions that focused on the traditional health elements as well as cross-cutting management, professional development, and agency issues.

Sessions were conducted using plenary and “breakout” formats. In addition, “open space” was provided for participants to have an opportunity to discuss topics of specialized interest and share best practices.

Sincerely,
LAC and GH Planning Team