FINAL PROJECT REVIEW - MANAGEMENT OF RURAL HEALTH SERVICES PROJECT - NATIONAL HEALTH PLANNING UNIT COMPONENT

THIS REVIEW WAS PREPARED JOINTLY BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, USAID, AND THE CONTRACTOR, KAISER FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL (KFI). PRINCIPAL PROJECT ACTIVITY INVOLVED THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF A NATIONAL HEALTH PLANNING UNIT (NHPU) WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE NHPU HAS: (1) DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED AN ACTION-ORIENTED PLANNING APPROACH FOR USE AT ALL LEVELS OF THE MOH; (2) ESTABLISHED A PLANNING/MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDING BOTH IN-COUNTRY AND PARTICIPANT TRAINING; (3) DEVELOPED A NATIONAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE STRATEGY; (4) PREPARED ANNUAL HEALTH BUDGET ESTIMATES AND CONDUCTED BUDGET-PLANNING WORKSHOPS; AND (5) PREPARED MANUALS AND GUIDELINES BASED UPON THE NHPU EXPERIENCE TO DATE. MAJOR PROJECT PROBLEMS CONCERNED A LACK OF TECHNICAL PERSONNEL (OF THE 20 PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS SLOTTED FOR THE UNIT, 5 ARE AT POSTS AND 7 ARE IN TRAINING), AND INADEQUATE OFFICE SPACE. THE MOST INPORTANT LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS PROJECT INVOLVED THE POLITICS OF PLANNING. AUTHORS NOTE THAT THE NHPU WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL UNTIL IT PROVED ITSELF TO BE NON-THREATENING AND USEFUL TO OTHERS WITHIN THE MOH. THE UNIT USED GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH KEY DECISION-MAKERS BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE MINISTRY TO GAIN ACCEPTABILITY. THE NHPU"S USE OF PROJECT TEAMS (WHICH DREW STAFF FROM THE NHPU, OTHER DIVISIONS IN THE MOH, OTHER MINISTRIES, UNIVERSITIES, AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES) WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL -- FILLING PERSONNEL GAPS AND INVOLVING MANY GHANIANS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.