Ghana comprehensive rural health and family health project : a review of the managerial, procedural, and mechanical dynamics of producing training materials

Evaluation is based on document review and interviews with project and A.I.D. staff; no evaluation period is given. The substantive content of the five drafts and the seven outlines of the monographs is good. However, because the books were written by different authors, were edited differently, and have different formats, they tend to be confusing to the reader. Although project staff are dedicated, information dissemination within Thailand is excellent, and efforts were made to anticipate problems based on similar A.I.D. experience in the Danfa (Ghana) Project, publication of Lampang Project materials faces several problems. Chief of these are insufficient English-speaking professional staff and the location of data processing services 600 km from the project site. To overcome the above difficulties and complete the books on schedule will require: (1) relieving senior staff engaged in drafting the books of other duties; (2) allowing several weeks for data analysis; (3) hiring a team to translate Thai training materials; (4) locating a skilled editor familiar with health training materials and primary health care; (5) obtaining English-language proofreaders and typists; (6) devoting several weeks to final preparation, including advising the printer; and (7) employing a distribution clerk full-time for 2 months and 1-2 hours per week for an additional 6 months. Further, since A.I.D. is already receiving numerous requests for information on the Lampang Project, it is also recommended that: (8) the series be consolidated into three volumes to avoid duplicating material; (9) the need for an additional visit by the evaluators be determined by late 1980; and (10) a detailed plan for printing and distributing the 2,000 copies of the monograph series and l,000 copies of the training materials be devised.