Health Policy and Systems Strengthening Program - Malawi Year One Quarter 1 Report

The project is implemented by Abt Associates, Inc. in partnership with Salephera Consulting, Ltd. and Prime Health Consulting and Services, and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under Cooperative Agreement AID-612-A-11-00002. The program aims to strengthen the health care system in Malawi by providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in support of improved policies, management, and leadership. The project team will provide targeted technical support to the MOH at national, zonal, and district levels to accomplish six key results, including increased advocacy for evidence-based policies, strengthened strategic leadership and management capacity, and improved health financing mechanisms. During Quarter 1 of Year 1, the project team began project implementation, including workplan compilation and review, stakeholder consultations, and planning for activity implementation. The team conducted extensive stakeholder consultations with key MOH counterparts and other important stakeholders, as detailed in Table 1. The consultations aimed to ensure the project is supporting the most pressing health system needs and is being responsive to the both USAID Malawi and the Government of Malawi. The project team has begun planning for three critical activities: performance-based incentives (PBI) and development of a capacity-building plan in support of the Malawi Health Sector Strategic Plan 2011-2016, and facilitating support by the USAID Regional office for the HRH Strategic Plan review process. The PBI feasibility assessment is currently scheduled for February/March 2012, and the project team will leverage HS20/20 resources for the assessment. The MOH Capacity Building Plan will help guide Global Fund expenditures on building capacity of ministry staff at central level. Upon workplan approval, Abt Associates will mobilize a Senior Capacity Building Advisor to take on this piece of work. The Senior Capacity Building Advisor is engaged in USAID activities for both SHOPS and HPSS, and the project will leverage her TDY to Malawi to make cost-effective use of program resources. The HRH Strategic Plan development/review activity involves supporting the MOH, Department of Human Resources for Health, the USAID/Malawi, and USAID Regional Office in Pretoria to update the Malawi HRH Strategic Plan process. Background documents relating to this activity have been gathered by Takondwa Mwase and sent to USAID/Malawi, USAID Regional Office in Pretoria, and HRAA ECSA Project. A 2-3 day TDY is being planned by USAID Regional Office or HRAA ECSA project to assess the situation and develop clear terms of reference and next steps. The project team has engaged with other individuals and institutions planning to undertake PBI activities in Malawi, including SSD-E, the USAID-funded global Health Systems 20/20 Project, KfW, GIZ, and program leads at USAID, to ensure coordination of HPSS efforts with others in the health sector. The project team has produced a concept note in collaboration with SSD-E and Health Systems 20/20 that proposes a process to assess the feasibility of PBI within SSD-I target districts, design the schemes, and begin implementation on a pilot basis. The project team is awaiting comments and/or approval of the revised workplan, which was submitted on January 11th, 2012. The project team is also awaiting the outcome of the PBI feasibility assessment, which is currently scheduled for February/March 2012.