Healthcare System Improvement Project (Montenegro)

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The Health System Improvement Project aims to put in place the first phase of steps towards reform of the health system in the Republic of Montenegro, giving priority to increasing capacity for policy, planning, and regulation; stabilizing health financing; and improving primary health care service delivery. There are two main project components, beside project management: 1. Support for the Government's health reform program, through health policy development and capacity building in key agencies, and through health information systems development; and 2. Phased implementation of primary health care development, beginning in Podgorica, with scaling up of aspects of reform and development to other locations. Component 1 has two sub-components: (1.1) health policy development and capacity building for the MOH, HIF, and IPH focused on health finance, pharmaceuticals regulation and expenditure management, planning and strategy development, communications and public information to support reform, and monitoring and evaluation. Priority would be given within these activities to aspects relevant to primary health care development, improved services for the elderly and people with disabilities, development of the benefits package and provider payment policies, and efficiency improvement and expenditure control. This sub-component would provide expert advice and train staff of the Ministry of Health. the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria(HIF) and the Institute for Strategic Studies and Prognoses(IPH) in health finance, planning, monitoring and evaluation; and (1.2) investments in health information systems to improve data collection, contracting, monitoring and management of primary health care, and related services. Component 2 has four sub-components: (2.1) First phase of implementation in Podgorica which will be used to develop the reform model and learn lessons before scaling up reforms to other parts of Montenegro. (2.2) Further development of primary health care policy, standards, and implementation capacity,through technical assistance and training. (2.3) Development of primary care specialization training and continuing professional development. (2.4) Support for phased scaling-up of implementation of the reforms piloted in Podgorica to the rest of the country.