Quarterly Progress Report: USAID Systems for Better Health Activity in Zambia

The project is implemented by Abt Associates, Inc. in collaboration with partners American College of Nurse-Midwives, Akros, Inc., BroadReach Institute for Training and Education, Initiatives, Inc., Imperial Health Sciences, and Save the Children. The goal of SBH is to strengthen national level health stewardship, improve capacities of provincial and district health teams, increase the quality and availability of priority health services at the community level, and increase utilization of key public health interventions. The project has four expected outcomes: more effective national level health stewardship, improved capacities of provincial and district health teams, increased quality and availability of priority health services, and increased utilization of key public health interventions. The specific objectives of the project include increasing patient retention on antiretroviral therapy to at least 85 percent in targeted districts, increasing couple years of protection by 10 percent in targeted districts, and improving maternal and child health outcomes. During the reporting period of July 1st through September 30th, 2016, SBH conducted several activities in support of the project's Year One milestones. The project held consultative meetings with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and project partners, supported the management team at Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital to conduct refresher training for thirty-three department heads in the Annual Performance Appraisal System (APAS), and supported the MOH's recruitment of 1,894 new health workers following a treasury directive. SBH also successfully conducted the Community Capacity Assessment in six districts covering thirty health facilities to pave the way for capacity building interventions informed by data. The SBH Supply Chain Specialist worked together with MOH supply chain management (SCM) personnel to conduct SCM assessments in eight target districts and forty health centers. This assessment revealed key challenges in inventory management, over-stocking of drugs, and stock-outs of essential drugs. The project completed the revision of the Activity Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, which includes the outcome and output indicators with proposed new targets for each interim result by program task. The baseline report, which provides a set of process, output, outcome, and impact level indicators that collectively demonstrate the project's performance and contributions to improved health indicators, also was completed this quarter. Both documents have been submitted to USAID. SBH partner BroadReach Institute for Training and Education, in collaboration with the Zambia Management Leadership Academy, conducted the second training phase of thirty MOH medical staff in management and leadership skills. One hundred and fifty health professionals have been targeted for training in Year One. The project's quarterly report highlights these and other activities undertaken in support of the project's goals. The project's progress is being tracked through the Performance Indicator Tracking Table and the Quarterly Achievements Tracking Table. The project has also developed a Short-term Technical Assistance Plan for the next quarter. The project's activities are focused on strengthening health systems, improving health outcomes, and increasing the utilization of key public health interventions.