DRC-IHP Quarterly Report: April-June 2014

The project supports the DRC National Health Development Program and aims to improve the enabling environment for, and increase the availability and use of, high-impact health services, products, and practices in 78 target health zones in four DRC provinces. The project has two components: "Services" and "Other Health Systems." The "Services" component focuses on creating better conditions for, and increasing the availability and use of, high-impact health services, products, and practices. This component is further divided into two intermediate results: IR1.1, which aims to increase facility-based health care services and products, and IR1.2, which aims to increase community-based health services and products. The project currently provides varying levels of support to 1,793 facilities, including 1,715 health centers and 78 general reference hospitals. The target health zones represent approximately 17 percent of the population and 15 percent of total health zones. The project's goal is to improve maternal, newborn, and child health, nutrition, malaria and tuberculosis, HIV, and water/sanitation/hygiene services in the target health zones. During the third quarter of project year four (April through June 2014), the project made significant progress in achieving its intermediate results. In the "Services" component, the project increased the availability of facility-based health care services and products, including antiretroviral therapy, family planning services, and malaria treatment. The project also increased the availability of community-based health services and products, including community health worker training and community-based distribution of health products. In the "Other Health Systems" component, the project strengthened health sector leadership and governance in the target provinces. The project also improved the availability of health information systems and increased the use of results-based financing in the target health zones. The project faced several challenges during the third quarter, including insecurity in some areas, which affected the project's ability to reach some target health zones. However, the project was able to adapt to these challenges and continue making progress towards its goals. The project's results for the third quarter of project year four include: * An increase of 25% in the availability of facility-based health care services and products * An increase of 30% in the availability of community-based health services and products * An improvement of 20% in health sector leadership and governance in the target provinces * An increase of 15% in the use of results-based financing in the target health zones Overall, the project made significant progress during the third quarter of project year four and continues to work towards its goal of improving the enabling environment for, and increasing the availability and use of, high-impact health services, products, and practices in the target health zones.