Information & Structure

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1. AAAH Steering Committee

The Steering Committee (SC) of AAAH is established in order to oversee all the activities of AAAH. The committee is light, flexible, inclusive and non-bureaucratic. The Members of the Steering Committee are experts in HRH management, research and policy development, with regional vision. They should be enthusiastic and actively involved in the process of HRH management, research and policy development, as well as maintaining good relationships with government sectors, international organizations and funding agencies.

1.1 Composition:

Members comprise the following:

  1. Chair
  2. Chair-Elect
  3. Representatives from eight AAAH member countries: (Four from WHO Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) and four from Western Pacific Region (WPR))
  4. One representative from each of the relevant WHO Regional Offices, namely SEAR and WPR
  5. Representatives from three SC approved international agencies
  6. Representative of the AAAH Secretariat

1.2 Functions and Operation:

The AAAH Steering Committee is established to plan, manage and contribute to AAAH, and related, activities. Steering Committee Members are expected be in close contact with other committee members. The Committee will meet on a regular basis (once every three months) via teleconference and a face to face meeting at each AAAH Conference.

1.3 Chair:

The Chair is responsible for guiding the Committee Members, Secretariat, and Country Focal Points to achieve their respective duties. The term of the Chair is two years. The role of AAAH Chair must rotate between representatives from a World Health Organization (WHO) SEAR country and representatives from a country within WHO WPR.

1.4 Responsibilities of the Chair:

  1. As the SC serves as the AAAH’s highest decision-making body, the Chair is responsible for effectively conducting teleconferences and meetings in order to guide the Committee Members to make appropriate decisions and recommendations for the AAAH.
    In the event that the Chair is unable to attend a teleconference, or other steering committee meeting, for any reason, it is the responsibility of the Chair to assign the Chair-Elect, or another member of the Steering Committee, to Chair said teleconference or meeting in their absence.
  2. Providing appropriate advice and guidance to the AAAH Secretariat when decisions do not need to be made by the entire Steering Committee
  3. Representing the AAAH in HRH-related forum including networking with other organizations as appropriate or assigning a Steering Committee member to represent AAAH on their behalf.
  4. Taking the lead in seeking funding for the AAAH activities.
  5. Taking responsibility for familiarizing the Chair-Elect with the responsibilities of their role.

1.5 Criteria for the Chair:

  1. Highly experienced and knowledgeable in the area of HRH development.
  2. Having international recognition and the ability to facilitate networking between the AAAH and development agencies.
  3. Closely involved in, and familiar with, the works of AAAH and able to provide guidance on AAAH work.
  4. Having the ability to effectively conduct SC meetings leading to good recommendations and decisions for the AAAH.
  5. Having high commitment to AAAH.

1.6 Chair-Elect   

The role of Chair-Elect provides the opportunity for the selected individual to learn about the role of AAAH Chair and to develop any skills or connections they will require in that role. Recommendations for nominees to be chair-elect must come from the Steering Committee Members. When selecting a Chair-Elect, Steering committee members should ensure that the individual(s) in question have the capacity to meet the criteria for Chair outlined in point 2.1.5 above.

  1. a) Responsibilities of Chair-Elect
    1. Attending AAAH Steering Committee teleconferences from date of selection as Chair-Elect.
    2. Liaising with AAAH Chair to facilitate hand over of responsibility.
  • Taking temporary responsibility for chairing teleconferences and meetings when requested by the Chair, or in the event of the Chair being incapacitated.
  1. Making every effort to attend at least one AAAH Conference before becoming Chair.
  2. b) Mechanism for selection of Chair and Chair-Elect
  1. The Chair-Elect will become the Chair of the AAAH automatically at the end of the two-year terms of the previous Chair
  2. Only members of the steering committee have the right to propose nominees to be Chair-Elect.
  • The Steering Committee must come to an agreement on which nominee best matches the criteria for Chair and will be selected to be Chair-Elect.
  1. In the event that the Chair-Elect is incapacitated, or other unforeseen events mean that they are unable to take up the role of chair, during the handover period the AAAH Secretariat must restart the process outlined in points 2 and 3 above. In such an event the existing chair must remain in post until a new replacement chair can be found.
  2. Regardless of the circumstances of the selection of the Chair-Elect or Chair, the positions must rotate in line with the principle of regional rotation between WPR and SEAR country representatives.
  3. In the event that a focal point/SC member is selected to be Chair-Elect, a new focal point/SC member must be selected to replace them at the point at which they take up the position of Chair.
  • The process of selecting a new Chair-Elect will begin one year before the end of the term of the serving Chair.

1.7 Steering Committee Membership:

  1. Country representative members
  2. The AAAH Secretariat will contact the government organization directly responsible for HRH planning and management of each member country who will nominate a country representative to serve as a Steering Committee member. Final authority for selection/approval of these representatives’ rests with the Steering Committee.
  3. Members will serve two years after which their seat on the Steering Committee will rotate to another country within the same WHO region. All member countries must serve a two-year term in order.  Once all countries have served a term, the rotation will begin again in order.
  • In the event that a country representative member is unable to continue to serve as on the Steering Committee, the AAAH Secretariat will contact the government organization directly responsible for HRH planning and management of each member country will nominate a new country representative
  1. Members from WHO Regional Offices

Members from WHO Regional Offices are to be chosen by the respective WHO offices. Membership will be indefinite; however, the Regional Offices may change their representatives on the Committee by writing to the Chair at any appropriate time.

  1. Members from development partners

Members drawn from selected development partners will be invited based on their institutional interest and commitment on human resources for health. Membership of the steering committee will be for 2 years and will be renewed or replaced by a representative of another development agency. The AAAH Steering Committee, minus the existing development partners, will make the decision whether or not development agencies continue to have a seat on the AAAH SC, or are replaced by an alternative development partner.

The selected development partners will choose their representative and notify the steering committee in the event of a change.

If a development partner wishes to withdraw from AAAH they can do so by writing to the Secretariat who will notify the AAAH SC.

 

2. AAAH Organizing Committee

The Organizing Committee (OC) of AAAH is established in order to oversee the AAAH Annual Conference and conference-related activities. Members of the OC should be enthusiastic and actively involved in the process of HRH management, research and policy development, as well as maintaining good relationships with government sectors, international organizations and funding agencies. Members of the OC will be changed biennially in line with the change in AAAH Annual Conference host country unless AAAH SC decide otherwise.

2.1 Composition:

Members comprise the following:

  1. Chair (Host country)
  2. First Co-chair (Prior host country)
  3. Second Co-chair (AAAH SC Chair)
  4. Representatives from four AAAH member countries: (Two from WHO Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) and two from Western Pacific Region (WPR))
  5. One representative from each of the relevant WHO Regional Offices, namely SEAR and WPR
  6. One representative from the international development agencies being members of SC (Up to now, there are RF, World Bank, and JICA)
  7. Representative of the AAAH Secretariat

2.2 Functions and Operation:

  1. Monitor progress of works which are consequences of previous AAAH Annual Conference
  2. Oversee the arrangement of AAAH Annual conference in reasonable budget while producing constructive outputs
  3. Work closely with AAAH secretariat and host country through face to face meeting or teleconference as per request by SC
  4. Explore potential financing source to support AAAH Annual Conference and other conference-related activities

 

3. Secretariat Team

The Secretariat is an administrative component of the AAAH. The Secretariat is responsible for facilitating functions of the Steering Committee and coordinating and providing supports to AAAH member countries.

3.1 Composition:

The Secretariat is to be provided on the basis of contribution from one of the AAAH Member Countries. AAAH provides no funds for staff or office expenses which are to be borne by the secretariat host organization.  The Secretariat team is to be composed of 3-4 staff members – A ‘coordinator’ heads the secretariat, one assistant coordinator, and one to two secretariat staff. Two members are working on a full-time basis and other two could be part-time or full time depending on the workload. The secretariat is hosted by the International Health Policy Program Foundation (IHPP), Bangkok, Thailand.

The Secretariat is responsible for leading the coordination between the Steering Committee, country focal points, development partners, and other partners as well as other relevant duties need to be carried out in order to achieve the AAAH Work-plan.

Assistant and staff members are selected by the AAAH Coordinator.

 3.2 Operation:

The Secretariat reports directly to the Steering Committee and will be evaluated by the Steering Committee on an annual basis.  

3.3 Secretariat Responsibilities:

Secretariat Members will undertake the following functions, based on activities provided in the AAAH Work-plan:

  1. Develop the annual work-plan and budget;
  2. Coordinate activities as specified in the approved work-plan;
  3. Prepare meeting agendas, materials and relevant documents;
  4. Contact the focal points at the member countries to call meetings, coordinate and monitor activities;
  5. Maintain AAAH website(s), to share data and documents from member countries, as well as ongoing news and research on HRH;
  6. Distribute documents approved by the Steering Committee among member countries and partners;
  7. Provide logistics services to the Steering Committee and the participants of all AAAH meetings;
  8. Coordinate multi-country HRH studies;
  9. Mobilize technical assistance to help member countries building capacity on HRH management;
  10. Organize teleconferences and meetings;
  11. Disseminate findings generated from activities under AAAH.
  12. Organize, coordinate and facilitate regional workshops related to HRH planning and research.
  13. Enable networking between HRH experts and professionals, both within and outside the Asia-Pacific Region, with AAAH members.

 

4. AAAH Member Countries

4.1 Composition:

The AAAH currently has 21 members. Members should be fully committed to developing human resources for health domestically and within the region. They should also be enthusiastic and actively involved in AAAH activities.

21 partner countries:

  • 9 from the South East Asia Region (SEAR) e.g. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand
  • 9 from the Western Pacific Region (WPR) e.g. Cambodia, China, Fiji, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa and Vietnam.
  • 3 from the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) e.g. Jordan, Pakistan, and Iran

4.2 Criteria for AAAH Member Countries:

Apart from the current members, additional members can be accepted in the future. Membership is by country, not for any individual organization. The general criteria for interested countries are:

  1. A strong commitment to human resource for health development
  2. An interested country must have sent one or more representatives to participate in a minimum of one AAAH conference in order to have experienced the on-going function of the AAAH
  3. An individual representing the interested country with the capacity to coordinate with other sectors at the national level, should have been identified, so that the views they express have the legitimacy to represent their country rather than themselves or any particular organization.

4.3 Application process

An interested country may express interest in becoming an AAAH member by writing to the AAAH Secretariat who will submit this proposal to the Steering Committee for consideration and approval.

4.4 Termination of membership

  1. In the event that a member country wishes to leave AAAH, the focal point should submit a letter to the Steering Committee, declaring the intention to leave.
  2. In the event that a focal point has no interaction with AAAH for two years and the relevant Ministry of Health does not propose a new focal point after three requests from the AAAH Secretariat, the country in question will cease to be a member of the AAAH network.
  3. In the event that a country which has previously ceased to be a member wishes to return to AAAH, a representative of said country should follow the application process outlined above.

 

5. Country Focal Points

A Country Focal Point will act as a country coordinator, who is required to establish mechanisms for coordination with relevant stakeholders to implement country activities, disseminate information received from the AAAH and other relevant sources. The person nominated as focal point should participate in the AAAH conference, and must be actively involved in human resources for health development in the country.

5.1 Mechanism for selection of Focal Point:

  1. When a vacancy arises the AAAH Secretariat will contact the Ministry of Health for the relevant county and request a nomination for the position of AAAH Focal Point
  2. In the event that a Focal Point does not attend the AAAH Conference or teleconferences, does not submit their country blog or submit their homework to the conference, the AAAH Secretariat will seek to contact the relevant Ministry of Health to request a new nomination for the role of focal point.
  3. The focal point can be replaced at the request of the relevant member country.

5.2 Criteria for Country Focal Point:

Once a country focal point is nominated, the person needs to actively involve themselves in the AAAH activities. The following criteria will be used to review whether the country focal point for a particular country will be retained.

  1. Active in communication and being a focal person between the AAAH secretariat and partners within the country.
  2. Active in communication and coordination with multi-partners within the country
  3. Active in mobilization of additional resources to support AAAH country activities
  4. Acceptance by local and international agencies, working within the country.

In addition, feedback from partners within countries may be sought.  The performance of the country focal point will be evaluated on an annual basis by the Steering Committee with the support of the Secretariat in order to improve the coordination between the AAAH and the country and within the country. The results of the evaluation will be circulated to steering committee members and fellow focal points.