Progress Report: Palestinian Health Sector Reform and Development Project

The Project's main objective is to support the MOH, select non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and select educational and professional institutions in strengthening their institutional capacities and performance to support a functional and democratic Palestinian health sector which is able to meet priority public health needs. The Project works to achieve this goal through three objectives: (1) improving governance and management practices in the Palestinian health sector; (2) improving the quality of essential clinical and community-based health services; and (3) increasing the availability of essential commodities to achieve health and humanitarian assistance goals. Project activities are spread across five focus areas: Institutional Development, Health Information System, Primary Health Care Support, Hospital Support, and Procurement Support. Major accomplishments in Year 5 Quarter 3 (April 1 to June 30, 2013) include stakeholder coordination and progress in each of the five focus areas. In Institutional Development, the Project supported the development of a new health policy and strategic plan for the MOH, and provided training to MOH staff on governance and management practices. In Health Information System, the Project implemented a new health information system (HIS) at the MOH, and provided training to MOH staff on data management and analysis. In Primary Health Care Support, the Project provided training to primary health care (PHC) staff on essential clinical and community-based health services, and supported the implementation of a new PHC program in Gaza. In Hospital Support, the Project provided training to hospital staff on quality improvement and patient safety, and supported the implementation of a new hospital management information system (HMIS). In Procurement Support, the Project provided training to MOH staff on procurement procedures and supported the implementation of a new procurement system. The Project also made progress in Gaza, where it supported the implementation of a new health information system and provided training to PHC staff on essential clinical and community-based health services. In addition, the Project made significant progress in management, operational, and cross-cutting accomplishments, including staffing and recruiting, short-term consultancies, coordination with USAID, financial performance, and compliance. The Project's progress is reflected in the indicators and metrics presented in the annexes, which show significant improvements in health sector performance and outcomes. The Project's achievements in Year 5 Quarter 3 demonstrate its commitment to supporting the Palestinian health sector in achieving its goals and objectives. The Project's focus on institutional development, health information system, primary health care support, hospital support, and procurement support has resulted in significant improvements in health sector performance and outcomes. The Project's progress in Gaza has also been notable, with the implementation of a new health information system and training to PHC staff on essential clinical and community-based health services. The Project's achievements in Year 5 Quarter 3 demonstrate its commitment to supporting the Palestinian health sector in achieving its goals and objectives. The Project's progress is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Project team, and the support of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. The Project's focus on improving governance and management practices, quality of essential clinical and community-based health services, and availability of essential commodities has resulted in significant improvements in health sector performance and outcomes. The Project's progress in Year 5 Quarter 3 is a significant step towards achieving its overall goal of supporting a functional and democratic Palestinian health sector that is able to meet priority public health needs.