DRC-IHP Year 1/Fourth Quarter Report July – September 2011

The project's goal is to strengthen health zones' capacity to deliver services by addressing both the supply and demand sides of services. The project's two components are designed to create better conditions for and increase the availability and use of high-impact health services, products, and practices. Component 1, "Services," supports the first strategic focus of the DRC's national health plan: health zone strengthening. Activities under Component 1 strengthen health zones' capacity to deliver services by addressing both the supply and demand sides of services. The three Intermediate Results (IRs) under Component 1 are: IR 1, which aims to increase access to and availability of Minimum Package of Activities/Complementary Package of Activities plus (MPA/CPA-plus) services in target health zones; IR 2, which aims to increase the quality of MPA/CPA-plus services in target health zones; and IR 3, which aims to increase knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) to support health-seeking behaviors in target health zones. Component 2, "Other Health Systems," corresponds to the plan's second strategic focus: health systems strengthening. This component aims to improve health sector leadership and governance in target provinces. The project's activities under Component 2 focus on strengthening health systems, improving health sector leadership and governance, and increasing the availability and use of high-impact health services, products, and practices. The project's goal, purpose, and objective are to improve the enabling environment for and increase the availability and use of high-impact services, products, and practices for family planning; maternal, newborn, and child health; nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis; neglected tropical diseases; HIV; and water/sanitation/hygiene in the target health zones. The project's activities are designed to create better conditions for and increase the availability and use of high-impact health services, products, and practices in the target health zones. The project's progress in the fourth quarter of the first year (July to September 2011) is reported in this document. The report provides an overview of the project's activities, achievements, and challenges during this period. The report also highlights the project's success stories and planned activities for the next quarter (October to December 2011).