Health development planning and management (HDPM) : American Public Health Association

PES covers the period 10/81-3/84 and summarizes mid-term evaluation based on site visits, review of financial and other documents, and interviews with Mission personnel in Jamaica and Barbados, Ministry of Health staff in all project countries, and project personnel. Of the three planned components, only one has been implemented. An on-campus training program for health managers and planners has been delayed because of, among other things, UWI"s complex legal and procedural requirements and a lack of available faculty. Another component, an applied health services research program, has been terminated because research outputs have not been of the quantity or quality to warrant continuation. The late arrival of a Research Officer who was assigned to direct research studies was also a contributing factor. The only component that has been implemented, an in service training program for personnel from four Caribbean health ministries (Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Trinidad), has received a disproportionately high amount of financial and technical support from the project; a gradual phase-down of inputs to this component has been planned, so as to provide more resources to UWI on-campus training. Despite these problems, the project can make some positive contributions to the health sectors of Caribbean nations if some changes are made. An important lesson learned is that a greater knowledge of UWI policies and procedures would have facilitated project implementation. Also, USAID personnel can more effectively manage a regional project than can an A.I.D. Project Officer located in Washington, unless the latter is able to make site visits at least twice a year.