FINAL REPORT OF THE CONTRACTOR - MANAGEMENT OF RURAL HEALTH SERVICES, GHANA

THE KFI ASSISTED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH PLANNING UNIT (NHPU) IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE NHPU HAS SUCCESSFULLY FORMULATED HEALTH POLICY; UNDERTAKEN HEALTH ASSESSMENT, PROGRAM EVALUATION, AND SECTOR DESIGN; PRODUCED A 72-PAGE REPORT ON HEALTH MANPOWER AND TRAINING NEEDS IN GHANA; AND DEVELOPED AN IMPROVED APPROACH TO PLANNING-PROGRAMMING-BUDGETING FOR ALL LEVELS OF THE MOH. KFI ASSOCIATES WITHDREW FROM DAY TO DAY PARTICIPATION IN THE NHPU IN EARLY 1979 TO CONCENTRATE ON A SERIES OF MANUALS AND GUIDELINES, DOCUMENTING THEIR EXPERIENCES AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING. NHPU IS NOW CLOSE TO FULL STAFFING -- 5 PARTICIPANT TRAINEES HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR POSTS AND 5 MORE WILL RETURN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE PROJECT CONCERNED SHORTAGES OF PERSONNEL AND THE EFFECTS OF GHANA"S RAPIDLY DETERIORATING ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SITUATION UPON THE NHPU AND THE HEALTH SECTOR IN GENERAL. THE ASSIGNMENT OF KFI PERSONNEL TO OPERATIONAL RATHER THAN ADVISORY POSITIONS REDUCED THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT BY GHANIAN COUNTERPARTS. ANOTHER PROBLEM HAS BEEN THE LACK OF ADEQUATE OFFICE SPACE. THE PROJECT EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATED: (1) THE NECESSITY OF ALL PARTICIPANTS TO HAVE A GENUINE NEED AND DESIRE FOR THE PROJECT. (IN THIS INSTANCE, IT WAS THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC PLANNING AND NOT THE MOH WHO INITIALLY PUSHED FOR THE PROJECT); (2) THE NECESSITY FOR STRONG COUNTERPART PERSONNEL (FOR A TIME FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF KFI PERSONNEL, NHPU WAS STAFFED BY PERSONNEL WITH NO BACKGROUND IN HEALTH PLANNING.); AND (3) THE NEED FOR SUPPORT FROM TOP MINISTRY PERSONNEL (WHICH WAS SECURED BY THE NHPU DURING ITS FIRST MONTHS OF OPERATION.) TWENTY REPORTS AND PAPERS PREPARED BY THE NHPU/KFI PERSONNEL ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THE REPORT.