LMG/Bénin Quarterly Report: October-December 2014

The project is a collaborative effort between USAID, Management Sciences for Health (MSH), and other members of the existing leadership, management, and governance consortium in Benin. LMG/Benin has three main objectives: to strengthen governance practices such as advocacy, policy formulation, regulation, and information at the highest level of the Ministry of Health; to develop leadership, management, and governance practices of health leaders and managers at central and decentralized structures of the Ministry and in the private sector; and to strengthen the institutional capacity of a competitively-selected local training institution. During the reporting period of October 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014, the project continued to support improved governance practices and develop the leadership, management, and governance practices of key health leaders and managers. The project finalized documentation of results obtained through the Leadership Development Program (LDP) with the National Order of Pharmacists (ONPB). LMG/Benin also worked with the Direction de la Santé de la Mère et de l'Enfant (DSME), the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), and Agence Nationale de la Vaccination et des Soins de Santé Primaire (ANV-SSP) to finalize implementation of workplans developed during the Leadership Development Program Plus (LDP+) in order to address the challenge of creating job descriptions for all staff in each structure. The project also supported the evaluation of Performance Monitoring Plans of these three government structures throughout the quarter. Additionally, the project worked with a consultant to complete the terms of reference for a consultant who will be in charge of creating professional e-mail addresses for Ministry of Health staff. Most significantly, the project signed a final subcontract with the Institut Régional de Santé Publique (IRSP) to develop short-term courses and a master's degree program in leadership, management, and governance for health leaders in the region. The project received USAID approval for the project year 3 workplan, which was revised in response to USAID feedback prior to approval. The project performance during this quarter was marked by progress in implementing the LDP+ and finalizing the documentation of results obtained through the LDP. The project also made significant strides in developing the institutional capacity of a local training institution and strengthening the governance practices of key health leaders and managers. The project's work with the DSME, NMCP, and ANV-SSP resulted in the finalization of workplans to address the challenge of creating job descriptions for all staff in each structure. The project also supported the evaluation of Performance Monitoring Plans of these three government structures throughout the quarter. The project's collaboration with a consultant to create professional e-mail addresses for Ministry of Health staff is also a notable achievement. The project's progress during this quarter demonstrates its commitment to strengthening the capacity of health managers, leaders, and teams to carry out health program stewardship effectively. The project's focus on developing leadership, management, and governance practices of key health leaders and managers is critical to achieving the project's overall goal of universal and equitable access to a high-quality and integrated Essential Health Package and improved health outcomes.