The UNOPS Managed Cash Flow Unit (MCFU) provides service to the national programmes to facilitate their implementation management. It works in close collaboration with and under the guidance of the national programmes. The Managed Cash Flow (MCF) scheme aspires to provide the best possible services to the national programmes to inform management decisions, while maintaining good controls compliant with public sector standards.
Managed Cash Flow as health system strengthening
The MCF scheme is a programme support instrument that has been developed by and is owned, managed and controlled by the public sector. Its aim is the strategic strengthening of public sector programme management and controls, which in turn enable the public sector health systems to improve performance and increase fund absorption. The MCF also aims to provide good controls and oversight tools for national programme managers to inform management decisions and enable the best possible budget utilization.
FFAs half-yearly review meetings
The MCFU is powered by 66 UNOPS Field Finance Assistants (FFAs) stationed at state/regional government health offices across Myanmar.
The MCFU regularly organizes FFAs meetings to review FFA performance and update on the progress of Global Fund grants implementation under the New Funding Model (NFM), and the Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI); active case finding for TB and MDR-TB under 3MDG; and the Maternal and Child Cash Transfer (MCCT) programme in Chin State under LIFT.
With the aim of promoting a well-coordinated approach and experience sharing with improved networking among all FFAs, MCFU organized two three-day FFAs review meetings in 2017, in Pyin Oo Lwin in March and in Yangon in October.
Strengthening the financial monitoring system
In 2017, the UNOPS MCFU team visited health programmes being implemented with Global Fund support in Myaung, Kawlin and Wuntho townships, along with the UNOPS Myanmar Operations Centre (MMOC) Finance Transformation Project team, to get a closer look at the MCF disbursements and interact with MMOC FFAs. The Finance Transformation team met with the national programme officers and discussed challenges encountered in implementation. They also met with FFAs and observed disbursements for field activities being implemented by the national programmes. These measures are part of improving the financial monitoring system, to increase the delivery and effectiveness of the finance function and allow faster disbursement.
UNOPS IPAS team visit to Myanmar
In 2017, the Integrated Practice Advice and Support (IPAS) team from UNOPS headquarters visited Myanmar. The team visited the Pyin Oo Lwin General Hospital along with the MCFU team, and met with health officials implementing the Global Fund grants.
The MCFU has been facilitating payments for national programme activities since 2011, through both direct disbursement and reimbursement modalities. The advance money disbursement was introduced in 2015. In specific circumstances, where the operational context requires cash to be available and direct disbursement is not possible, payment through operational advance (OA) is used. The team discussed challenges encountered in implementation of field activities paid by OA, to increase effectiveness of the finance processes.
UNOPS CFO visit to Myanmar
In 2017, the PR-UNOPS team visited health programmes being implemented with Global Fund support in Pakokku Township, along with the Director and Representative of UNOPS Myanmar, and UNOPS Chief Financial Comptroller (CFO).
Meetings and discussions were held with key partners, including from the Pakokku General Hospital, National AIDS Programme, IHC clinic (NAP and UNION collaboration), and Pakokku TB Centre (MDR-TB programme). These provided important feedback and input for planning improvements to the financial monitoring system, to better support smooth disbursement for implementation at field level.
