Quarterly Technical Performance Report: Fiscal Year 15, Quarter Four

The project is led by Deloitte Consulting and collaborates across the Ministry of Health (MISAU) and the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Action (MGCAS). During the period of July 1, 2015, through September 30, 2015, FORSSAS experienced important progress across all project work streams. The IR1 team laid important foundational steps toward continued training, implementation, and institutionalization of improved public financial management procedures. FORSSAS is now working with the Provincial Health Directorate (DPS) in Manica to replicate a model to encourage a higher level of adherence to improved financial procedures. In IR2, FORSSAS supported the finalization of the PES 2016, as well as the preparation of the priority needs document for MISAU's 2016 budget. This document helps MISAU to identify key financial gaps, including those in the areas of wages and salaries, goods and services, medical and surgical equipment, and construction. Through proactive identification of budgetary gaps during the planning process, MISAU is more equipped to mitigate risk associated with these gaps in the coming year. Additionally, in IR3, FORSSAS technical staff continued to coach DIS in the monthly provision of feedback to provinces mainly in regards to data analysis. FORSSAS technical staff revised the protocol for monthly feedback to provinces, to cover the addition of new indicators and an increased level of disaggregation for existing indicators. Under IR4, FORSSAS supported continued development of the social welfare workforce through continued semesters of medium-level social welfare courses at the central and provincial levels. As the end of the quarter marked the end of another project year, FORSSAS took time to reflect upon achievements during Year Three. FORSSAS Year Three achievements set the stage for a successful transition of improved systems to our counterparts. Highlights from governance, procurement, and financial management include standardizing governance and financial management procedures at all levels of the health system, including district hospitals. For the first time in recent history, MISAU central and provincial level offices now possess standard operating manuals, which leave a lasting impact on financial governance. Bolstered by a significant number of provincial trainings in Year Three, FORSSAS has now trained 434 staff from all 11 provinces cumulatively in public financial management practices. These activities introduce greater efficiency in the flow of funding to decentralized levels of the system, including service delivery points. They increase compliance with national laws, regulations, and donor requirements. Also in Year Three, FORSSAS built on CMAM's recent budget autonomy achieved in Year Two, decreasing fiduciary risk and increasing likelihood for funding diversity due to improved audit results and greater confidence in procurement and financial systems. FORSSAS completed the majority of its activities in supply chain governance, supporting over 200 internal supply chain process audits throughout the country since the beginning of the project while digitizing the data collection procedures for internal audit, reducing reporting timelines from 60 to 17 days. In collaboration with the CMAM Distribution Department and the Central Warehouses in Zimpeto and Adil, the Internal Audit team actively participated in planning and execution of warehouses inventories. The project's approach recognizes that system improvements make a larger impact when implemented across health systems building blocks. The project's progress during the quarter demonstrates its commitment to strengthening the health and social welfare systems in Mozambique.