The 2nd Edition of the A2DSRH Programme Newsletter

The A2DSRH Programme supported by AUDA-NEPAD and coordinated and implemented by IGAD continues to play a leading role in advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and strengthening regional health initiatives across IGAD Member States. Our collective goal is to promote healthier, more productive communities that can fully realize their growth and development ambitions.

Since the release of our March 2025 edition, we have achieved several significant milestones in SRH, Health Financing and Research milestones that align with our broader vision of harnessing the demographic dividend and securing sustainable domestic health financing options across the IGAD region.

Key Highlights

• IGAD Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy: This strategy marks a vital step in enhancing regional health coordination and SRH policy implementation. It provides a harmonized framework to enhance Member States’ SRH policies, promote knowledge exchange, improve service delivery, and reinforce coordination mechanisms ensuring full alignment with regional health priorities and commitments.
• Regional SRH training toolkits support capacity building, promote policy harmonization and facilitate technical assistance of SRH programs across the IGAD region.
• IGAD Health Financing Strategy: This strategic blueprint guides the establishment of the IGAD Regional Health Financing Hub, aimed at reinforcing health systems, optimizing resource mobilization, and improving healthcare delivery. It supports the realisation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by advancing innovative financing solutions and unified regional efforts, in line with the ALM Declaration, to increase domestic investment in SRH programmes.
• Research on Teenage Pregnancy Study: Research on teenage pregnancy in the IGAD region offers vital insights for evidence-based policymaking, enabling the design of targeted interventions that address adolescent health challenges. It promotes regional collaboration, supports the development of youth-focused strategies and provides a foundation for harmonised policies to reduce teenage pregnancy and improve reproductive health outcomes across Member States.
• A feasibility Study on Establishing a Regional Health Organization (RHO): This study offers critical insights into the operational, financial and structural requirements needed for its success. It helps assess potential benefits, identify challenges and outline viable frameworks for governance and coordination. This critical groundwork paves way for a collaborative regional body capable of effectively and sustainably addressing shared health priorities across the IGAD Member States.
• Capacity Building Workshop on SRH Strategy & MEAL Framework: It is critical to build the capacities of policy makers, program managers, and healthcare professionals in applying the Regional SRH Strategy and its supporting tools. Additionally, strengthening Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks will be essential for tracking progress of SRH interventions across IGAD Member States. The July 2025 Capacity-Building workshop will equip stakeholders with the knowledge and technical skills required for effective execution, monitoring, and evaluation of SRH initiatives.