Design, implementation, and evaluation of health delivery projects, a PASITAM strategy paper

HEALTH CARE DELIVERY PROJECTS SHOULD BE COMMUNITY-CENTERED. THEY NEED TO BE CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO ASSURE THAT POPULATIONS IN RURAL AREAS ARE SERVED. PASITAM CAN ASSIST IN THIS BY DRAWING UP MODELS OF ALTERNATIVE PATTERNS OF PROJECT ORGANIZATION. IF SUCH MODELS ARE TO BE USEFUL TO PRACTITIONERS, THEY MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT KEY ISSUES FACED IN DESIGNING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING PROJECTS, INCLUDING (1) PROJECT-CLIENT INTERFACES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN PROVISION OF SERVICES, (2) INTEGRATION OF HEALTH SERVICES AND OF THESE WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, AND (3) EVALUATION OF IMPACT TO LEARN WHAT WORKS BEST UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS. SUCH PASITAM AND MUCIA SERVICES MIGHT SERVE SEVERAL USER GROUPS: FIRST, MUCIA PARTICIPANTS WHO UNDERTAKE OVERSEAS HEALTH PROJECTS ON A CONTRACT BASIS; SECOND, MAJOR DONOR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS USAID, THE WORLD BANK, AND WHO; THIRD, NUMEROUS PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS. SOME 25 SUCH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RECEIVED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANTS. THE FIRST TASK OF PASITAM IS TO DEVELOP MODELS AND TOOLS. SOME RELEVANT WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. A TWO-WEEK ANALYTICAL SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR AID AND HOST COUNTRY PROGRAM PERSONNEL. WITH APPROPRIATE ADAPTATIONS, ELEMENTS OF THIS COURSE ARE LIKELY TO BE APPROPRIATE TO TRAINING IN THE HEALTH AREA. THE SECOND TASK IS CHOOSING AND IMPLEMENTING THE MODE OF DELIVERY OF MODELS, TOOLS, AND KNOWLEDGE. PASITAM IS PRODUCING DESIGN NOTES AND DESIGN STUDIES IN KEEPING WITH THAT TASK, AND CAN ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN COLLABORATION WITH CLIENTS.