URC has been awarded the Lesotho Health Systems Strengthening and Counter Gender Based Violence Technical Assistance project to support the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Lesotho Health and Horticulture Compact program.
The MCC Lesotho Health and Horticulture Compact, signed in March 2022, is a $321 million comprehensive program designed to combat constraints to economic growth in Lesotho by strengthening government coordination, capacity, and execution across various sectors.
This new project is an important step in URC’s continued commitment to improving health outcomes for the Basotho people. URC’s team of experts – familiar with evidence-based interventions in health system strengthening – will conduct short-term intensive investigations that support Compact implementation.
“We’re eager to play this pivotal role to support the MCC, the Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders to strengthen Lesotho’s healthcare system,” said Suzzane McQueen, URC Team Leader for the project and its predecessor.
Continues Existing URC Efforts in Lesotho
This work builds on URC’s efforts in Lesotho since 2018 under the Reducing the Burden of HIV/AIDS and Health Systems Strengthening project. Under that project, URC completed extensive research and assessments to guide the development of the Compact’s health systems strengthening project. URC helped MCC develop the logic model, the monitoring and evaluation framework, and the six requests for proposals for the Lesotho-based contractors who will implement the activities alongside the MOH.
The new award’s key objective is to support the implementation of health system strengthening components of the Compact, expected to begin in March 2024. URC will assist the MCC to improve the provision of high-quality primary healthcare services, including clinical services tailored to survivors of gender-based violence; and enhance management at the district level, to ensure the effective delivery of primary healthcare.
This new award adds to URC’s efforts to:
- Be at the forefront of global efforts to improve healthcare systems – especially in underserved communities;
- Build upon our legacy of health systems strengthening project work; and
- Reinforce our commitment to fostering positive change and sustainability in Lesotho’s healthcare sector.
