Collaborative Support for Health Quarterly Report (January 1, 2018 – March 31, 2018)

The program focuses on priority areas outlined in the Government of Liberia's 2011-2021 National Health and Social Welfare Policy and Plan. The program's objectives are aligned with the National Investment Plan for Building a Health System 2015-2021, with a focus on increasing access to quality services, making services more responsive to the population, and providing affordable services. The CSH Program was awarded to Management Sciences for Health (MSH) in February 2015, with a base period of three years and the option for two additional option years. In February 2017, USAID awarded additional funding from the Emergency Ebola Fund (EEF) to expand health system strengthening activities to Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Montserrado counties. The program focuses on five specific objectives: quality assurance and quality improvement, human resources for health management, logistics management information, sustainable health financing, and health management information system. During the first quarter of FY2018, the program provided targeted in-depth mentoring and technical support to County Health Teams (CHTs) in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties. The program supported Joint Integrated Supportive Supervision (JISS) visits to 94 facilities, totaling 53% of the facilities in the three counties. In-depth mentoring visits were conducted at 10 health facilities, with a total of 30 visits. Additionally, the program collaborated with the National Diagnostic Unit to establish lab technical working groups (LTWGs) in the three counties. The CSH Program has a strong focus on human resources for health management, with a goal of strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health to manage its workforce. The program provides training and technical assistance to health workers, with a focus on improving their skills and knowledge in areas such as quality assurance and quality improvement, logistics management, and health management information system. The program also places a strong emphasis on logistics management information, with a goal of improving the availability of accurate and timely data on health commodities and supplies. The program works to strengthen the Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) and provides training and technical assistance to health workers on the use of the system. In addition to its focus on quality assurance and quality improvement, human resources for health management, logistics management information, and health management information system, the CSH Program also works to improve the availability of sustainable health financing data and strengthen strategic direction to support Ministry of Health financing reforms. The program provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Health on financial management and works to improve the availability of data on health financing. The CSH Program has made significant progress in its first quarter of FY2018, with a focus on implementing its five specific objectives. The program has provided targeted in-depth mentoring and technical support to County Health Teams in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties, and has established lab technical working groups in the three counties. The program continues to work towards its goal of improving the health status of Liberians by strengthening the Ministry of Health's capacity to deliver high-quality health services.