Second Health Sector Development Project

closed

The long-term objective of the Health Program (2000-2011) is to improve access, utilization, quality, and financing of health services through increased effectiveness in the use, and allocation of resources, to maximize impacts on health outcomes, especially among the poor, women, and children. This Second Health Sector Development Project will support the first four years of the government's Strategic Plan (July 2003-June 2008). The emphasis of the 2003-2006 strategic plan is on "district health services" Component 1, where most of the essential health services are provided to the communities. One expectation of Phase II is to improve significantly the quality of those essential health services, make Council Health Management Teams, and district health providers more accountable to the local communities, and strengthen community ownership. To improve the quality of health services: a quality assurance program (management, training, supervision) will be implemented, integrating specified HIV/AIDS activities into service delivery at all levels. Performance of service providers will be improved, and non-monetary incentives, and staff benefits will be tested to increase staff motivation, based upon skills' assessment. Transparency and Accountability will be improved, to facilitate the establishment of Health Facility Committees, and the Council Health Service Board. To improve equity of access to health services, the exemption system for the poor and vulnerable, shall be implemented, as will the monitoring of impact of fees on the poor. In addition, the management of secondary and tertiary hospital care will be strengthened, as will the standard setting, quality control, and, financing and human resource development for the sector. To continue to support sector reforms, decentralization, and adequate technical and support capacity will be ensured, through public-private partnerships, that support the health management system.