Community Health and Social Welfare Systems Strengthening (CHSS): Q2 Report

The program aims to improve health, well-being, and protection outcomes for HIV-affected and other vulnerable populations in Tanzania through enabling more accessible and higher quality health and social services. CHSS collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), the Prime Minister's office Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), and the Ministry of Community Development Gender and Children (MCDGC). The program also partners with the Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO) to build its organizational and technical capacity. CHSS works on health and social welfare systems strengthening activities across all levels of the system, with a focus on community-level strengthening. The program aims to achieve a deeper integration of HIV programs throughout Tanzania's health and social welfare systems, in partnership with other donor-funded programs focused on human resources for health (HRH) at the national and regional levels. CHSS' work includes focused health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions to fill system gaps specific to the achievement of PEPFAR and host country goals for HIV prevention, care, and treatment. The program also contributes "intentional spillover" activities, which are achieved when PEPFAR-funded programs design and implement HIV-focused activities in anticipation that these activities will benefit non-HIV elements of the health and social welfare system at no or very low additional cost. The CHSS program runs from November 18, 2014, through November 17, 2019, and is funded by the USAID Cooperative Agreement (CA) AID-621-A-14-0004. The program's workplan for the period of February 20, 2015, through September 30, 2015, is outlined in this document. CHSS' work is guided by three objectives: improved environment for community health and social services, higher performing human resources for community health and social services, and expanded and improved health and social service coordination and service models. The program's progress is summarized in the following sections. The CHSS program has made significant progress in its first year, with notable achievements in the areas of health and social welfare systems strengthening, human resources for health, and community-level strengthening. The program has also established partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Prime Minister's office Regional Administration and Local Government, and the Tanzania Association of Social Workers. Overall, the CHSS program is making significant contributions to the improvement of health, well-being, and protection outcomes for HIV-affected and other vulnerable populations in Tanzania. The program's focus on community-level strengthening and its commitment to building the capacity of local stakeholders are key to its success. The CHSS program's progress is summarized in the following sections, which provide a detailed overview of the program's achievements and challenges. Progress Summary for Key Program Areas The CHSS program has made significant progress in its first year, with notable achievements in the areas of health and social welfare systems strengthening, human resources for health, and community-level strengthening. CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES The CHSS program has made significant progress in its cross-cutting activities, including the development of a comprehensive health and social welfare systems strengthening strategy, the establishment of a technical working group, and the provision of technical assistance to local stakeholders. OBJECTIVE 1: IMPROVED ENVIRONMENT FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES The CHSS program has made significant progress in its efforts to improve the environment for community health and social services, including the development of a comprehensive health and social welfare systems strengthening strategy and the establishment of a technical working group. OBJECTIVE 2: HIGHER PERFORMING HUMAN RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES The CHSS program has made significant progress in its efforts to improve human resources for community health and social services, including the provision of technical assistance to local stakeholders and the development of a comprehensive human resources for health strategy. OBJECTIVE 3: EXPANDED AND IMPROVED HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE COORDINATION AND SERVICE MODELS The CHSS program has made significant progress in its efforts to expand and improve health and social service coordination and service models, including the development of a comprehensive health and social welfare systems strengthening strategy and the establishment of a technical working group. Administrative and Financial Progress The CHSS program has made significant progress in its administrative and financial management, including the development of a comprehensive budget and the establishment of a financial management system. Challenges and Solutions The CHSS program has faced several challenges in its first year, including the need to build the capacity of local stakeholders and the need to establish partnerships with key stakeholders. The program has addressed these challenges through the provision of technical assistance to local stakeholders and the establishment of partnerships with key stakeholders.