Kerstens Birgit

Ms Birgit Kerstens, M.Sc. in Economics (º1966).

Working in the area of health economics and financing since 2001. Experience in cost-effectiveness studies and health care financing.

Birgit Kerstens' short term consultancy assignments include formulations (formulation of health sector programme support and of a cost-effective strategy for cancer registration) and evaluations (financial assessment of pharmaceuticals and evaluation of the Dutch policy regarding patients with less frequent diseases).

She was in-country team member for six months to support the health reform and planning process in Saint Lucia and was responsible for the coordination of different aspects of the National Health Strategic Plan 2006-2011, including planning and budgeting (based on logical frameworks) for the health care services, estimating the future needs for human resources, and assessing the monitoring and evaluation requirements. She was co-responsible for the public health expenditure review, preparations for cost study of 2 hospitals, assessment of Universal Health Care (national health insurance scheme) and the health financing plan for 2006-2011.

Her field experience is in Belgium, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Romania, Saint Lucia and Surinam.

Between 2001 and 2004, Birgit Kerstens was project officer at HERA and was co-responsible for the administration and coordination of projects, operational and financial follow-up of projects in portfolio and the preparation of tenders.