Together for Health: annual activity report 2023

The document details the actions developed during the first year of the Program, ensuring transparency for society and partners.

Launched in 2023, Together for Health is an initiative of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), managed by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment.

In partnership with private donors, the Program seeks to raise resources to support and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, where approximately 75 million people live and – 9 out of 10 – depend exclusively on the SUS ( IBGE, 2020). The high demand results in important challenges, such as low availability of doctors, poor infrastructure, and poor access to population health data.

“In its activities, Together for Health prioritizes municipalities with less than one doctor per thousand inhabitants and, under the logic of matchfunding, has the prospect of allocating, by 2026, approximately R$ 200 million (R$ 100 million of supporters and R$100 million from BNDES) for health projects that aim to benefit care activities for populations living in these regions of the country, including primary care services; medium and high complexity; urgent and emergency services and diagnostic support” explains Carla Reis, Head of the Department of the Industrial Complex and Health Services of the Productive Development, Innovation and Foreign Trade Area of ​​BNDES.

The annual activity report is a management and transparency tool and details the Program’s actions and results.

Main achievements

In its inaugural year, the focus of Together for Health included the institutional and operational structuring, the team building and a consolidation of a strong network, made up of strategic partners, which played a key role in all the achievements of the Program so far.

Five important supporters arrived to join Together for Health, donating a total of R$97,083,148.32 (50% from BNDES, 50% from private donors). The donors  are: Vale Foundation, RD Group, Dynamo Institute, Umane and Wheaton.

The resources raised began to be allocated, allowing three large projects to begin: Social Protection Health Cycle, executed by CEDAPS, Mental Health Indicator Panel, and ImpulsoPrevine, both under the responsibility of ImpulsoGov. Together, they will benefit almost 300 municipalities.

“The management of this initiative contributes to the allocation of donations align with public policies,” explains Luiza Saraiva, IDIS’ project manager responsible for conducting the Program. In 2024, in addition to fundraising and allocation to projects, the monitoring process will begin to assess the impacts achieved.

To learn more about the partners and executors, the Program’s operational models, the committees and evaluation bodies, details of the actions developed, and the financial report, click here to download the report for free (available only in Portuguese)

IDIS participates in the global event CCW2023 with a panel on Matchfunding

Between the 1st and 5th of May 2023, will occur the 4th edition of Catalysing Change Week (CCW). Considering the most significant global event led by civil society organizations and social entrepreneurs, this year’s theme is “Solutions from the Frontlines.”

To inspire attitudes that contribute to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) stipulated by the UN, the event – ​​which takes place online – will bring together actors who are at the forefront of socio-environmental change ecosystems. The idea is that they share, throughout the week, their experiences and knowledge with a focus on accelerating collaborative change systems. Participants include representatives from the private sector, governments, civil society organizations, and philanthropists.

The event is organized by Catalyst 2030 and has more than 250 sessions and activities proposed by people worldwide. The objective is to identify local solutions to global issues and expand the debate and knowledge about good practices developed worldwide. To access content and best practices shared at previous events, click here: Embracing Complexity and here: New Allies.

 

About IDIS participation

IDIS, a founding member of the Brazilian Chapter of Catalyst 2030, will again be at the event. This year, the panel led by the organization “Matchfunding: a strategy to Enhance the Impact of Socio-environmental Projects” will discuss the concept of Matchfunding as a powerful strategy to raise funds and expand the expected social impact.

To illustrate the strategy, the Together for Health Program case, a BNDES Matchfunding initiative managed by the IDIS team, will be presented. The objective of the Program is to support and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, with a focus on improving and expanding primary care services. Over four years (2023-2026), the aim is to raise BRL 200 million for health projects that operate in this part of the country.

Luiza Saraiva, Manager of the Together for Health Program, will open the conversation, which will have the mediation of Guilherme Sylos, Director of Prospecting and Partnerships at IDIS.

Among the confirmed speakers is Carla Reis, representative of the BNDES, who will present the Together for Health Program and reflect on how the MatchFunding model can contribute to expanding the impact of government initiatives and strengthening public policies.

João Abreu, Executive Director of ImpulsoGov, the organization behind the “ImpulsoPrevine” Project, will also participate in the session. His initiative brings together free solutions and services for municipalities to expand the scope and quality of primary care in the SUS. The project is a potential beneficiary of Together for Health and is already ready to receive investments. Among other topics, João will address the challenges of fundraising for Health.

Maria Izabel Toro, Social Investment Manager at Grupo RD, and Andreia Rabetim, Intersectoral Coordination and Volunteering Manager at Vale, are also part of the panel of speakers for the session. From the funders’ perspective, the guests will discuss the reasons and benefits of a private company participating in a match funding style.

The week is an opportunity to engage, advocate and nurture the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. We’ll wait for you!

Registration to attend the session is now open! Register here.

 

Matchfunding: a strategy to enhance the impact of socio-environmental projects

When: May 4, 2023, from 10 am to 11:15 am
Where: Online event on the Catalyst 2030 website (Registration required to view sessions).

Opening:
Luiza Saraiva – Manager of the Together for Health Program

Speakers:
Carla Reis – Head of the BNDES Industrial Complex and Health Services Department
João Abreu – Executive Director of ImpulsoGov
Maria Izabel Toro – Social Investment Manager at Grupo RD
Andreia – Intersectoral Coordination and Volunteering Manager at Vale

Mediator:
Guilherme Sylos – Prospecting and Partnerships Director at IDIS

Together for Health: a Matchfunding initiative to strengthen the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS)

The Brazilian Unified Health System, known as SUS, is universal, free, and a worldwide reference. Nevertheless, it could benefit even more people and perform better if allocating public and private resources.

Did you know that for 18% of the Brazilian population, especially in the North and Northeast regions, the number of doctors available in public health is less than 1 for every thousand inhabitants? The Brazilian average is 2.15 per thousand.

In addition, the average life expectancy in these regions is 3 years lower than in the rest of the country. At the same time, the infant mortality rate is 3% higher compared to the Central and South regions.

Let’s change this reality together!

 

What is Together for Health?

Together for Health Program is a donation initiative of the BNDES (National Bank of Social and Economic Development) in the matchfunding style. In other words, it will be co-financed by the private enterprise and social organisations to allocate R$ 200 million* to projects in the health area of the North and Northeast regions over four years.

R$ 1 in donations + R$ 1 BNDES = donation to strengthen public health

With these guidelines, the initiative confirms its alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 – Health and Wellness, and 10 – Inequality Reduction.

 

What is the Program’s goal? 

Supporting and strengthening the Brazilian Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions, focusing on improving the efficiency of health service provision, quality, and integration of the system as a whole.


Who will benefit from the Program?

The entities that can receive resources from the program are: non-profit private organizations (Philanthropic Health Units, for example) or public bodies that do not depend on transfers of resources from the Union for their maintenance. The health projects presented must be in line with the premises of Together for Health and will be submitted to the approval of the Validation Committee, formed by members of the BNDES and other supporters of Together for Health.

How will the resources be invested? 


Depending on the supported health unit’s needs, there will be three possibilities for investment:

– Fixed assets: equipment acquisition or execution of recovery, modernization, expansion, and construction works;

– Management: telehealth system, digital systems, regulation systems, and implementation of applied management methodologies;

– Campaigns: cost of temporary health service provision campaigns associated with the start of health infrastructure operation.

Who participates:

 

– BNDESBanco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (National Bank of Economic and Social Development): promoter and financer of the initiative.

– IDIS – Instituto para o Desenvolvimento do Investimento Social (Institute for the Development of Social Investment): responsible for resource management, fundraising, and project selection that will benefit from the Program.

– Impulso Gov: author of “Impulso Previne”, a project that brings together solutions and free services for municipalities to expand the reach and quality of SUS primary care and is already eligible to receive investments.

Together for Health supporters

– Vale Foundation

– Banco do Brasil Foundation

 

Join us!
To learn more about how to get involved, visit our website or contact juntospelasaude@idis.org.br 

* On December 2022, USD 1 is equivalent to R$ 5,20

National Bank for Economic and Social Development selects IDIS as ‘manager partner’ to improve Brazilian public health system

The matchfunding initiative will finance new technologies to expand health service in the North and Northeast of Brazil. By encouraging the participation of private donors, BNDES – National Bank for Economic and Social Development will double any contribution made to the program. Over 4 years, the equivalent to USD 40 million will be donated.

 

The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) selected the consortium formed by IDIS and Impulso Gov as the managers for the “Juntos pela Saúde – Together for Health” initiative

Launched in June 2022, the initiative aims to increase investment in technology and equipment for the Brazilian population’s access to health, in addition to improve the Brazilian free and public health system (SUS). The focus will be the North and Northeast regions of the country.

BNDES will use the matchfunding strategy, in which it doubles the amount invested by private donors. The initiative aims to gather R$ 200 million in non-reimbursable resources, equivalent to about USD 40 million, health of it invested by the bank, which will be transferred to public and philanthropic health units that serve the SUS by the means of acquisition of equipment, IT, management improvements and health campaigns.

So far, there is already a declared intention of a contribution from the multinational miner company Vale, in the amount of R$34 million, that, as the strategy suggests, will be also matched by  BNDES. These resources will strengthen primary care in the municipalities surrounding Vale’s operations in the State of Maranhão, with the expansion of the successful experience of the “Ciclo Saúde” (health cicle), project by Vale Foundation. 

The Bank’s resources come from the BNDES’ socio environmental fund.

The contracted manager will be responsible for supporting fundraising and carrying out public selection of projects and/or structuring projects eligible for support, in the minimum amount of R$2 million. All proposals will be submitted to a validation committee, with equal participation of BNDES and donors.

The project manager will also have the attribution of receiving funds from BNDES and other supporting institutions and passing them on to the contemplated projects, following up on the application and monitoring the results. The management of “Juntos pela Saúde” will follow all the corporate governance and compliance requirements, with the establishment of measurable goals, contracting of external audits, dissemination of results and public selections. In addition to improving access to healthcare, the initiative has as goals the efficiency and transparency of the investments.

“IDIS is very proud of this achievement. Our experience in managing donations and creating robust governance structures, such as the Emergency Health Fund – Coronavirus Brazil and the Private Social Investment Fund for the End of Violence against Women and Girls, was certainly decisive in demonstrating our ability to deliver such an important and complex project”, comments Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

Founded in 1999, IDIS is considered one of the pioneering organizations in advisory for social investors in Brazil. ImpulsoGov, on the other hand, has the mission of improving health policies through the intelligent use of data and technology.

The expectation is that the selected consortium will be hired in December, after technical and legal analysis by the BNDES, and that, in 2023, it will start working on the selection and structuring of projects.