Support for Service Delivery Integration - Malawi Year 5 Semiannual Report

The project is implemented by Abt Associates Inc. and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Cooperative Agreement AID-612-A-11-00002, USAID Malawi Health Policy and Systems Strengthening Project. The project's main purpose is to provide technical assistance to Malawi's Ministry of Health (MoH) in support of improved policies, management, and leadership, and fiscal responsibility. The project focuses on six key results: increased and coordinated advocacy for and implementation of evidence-based policies, strengthened strategic leadership and management capacity of MoH, improved and strengthened zonal supervision structures of the MoH, improved leadership and management of human resources for health (HRH), improved decentralized management of district health services, and strengthened health financing mechanisms, financial planning, and budget execution capability at national, zonal, and district levels for sustainability. During the first half of Year 5, the project made significant progress against the work plan. Highlights of the project's key successes include the endorsement of the National Health Physical Assets Management (PAM) Policy by MoH Senior Management, the endorsement of the Guidelines for Management of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in the Public Health Sector in Malawi by the Essential Health Package Technical Working Group, and the implementation of 5 HMIS Zonal Review meetings reaching 201 MoH Staff and covering both SSDI and non-SSDI districts. The project also supported the MoH to undertake further review of the draft National Health Physical Assets Management Policy, which has since been renamed Healthcare Technology Management Policy, and the draft Guidelines for the Management of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in the Health Sector in Malawi. Additional key stakeholders from other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were included in the review as requested by MoH. In terms of Result 1, the project's progress during the period under review was significant. The project continued to support the Ministry to finalize and gain approval for the National Health Physical Assets Management Policy, and the project's Senior Technical Advisor worked with the Policy Development Unit (PDU) to engage with Directorates of Preventive Health, and the Health Technical Support Services on the Guidelines for Community Health Volunteers and National Health Physical Assets Management (PAM) Policy respectively. The project also supported the PDU to hold the scheduled quarterly meeting, and the project continued to engage the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) in advocating for the approval of the National Health Policy. The project's progress against Result 1 work plan milestones is summarized in Table 1. In terms of Result 2, the project made significant progress in strengthening the strategic leadership and management capacity of MoH. The project supported the MoH to undertake further review of the draft National Health Physical Assets Management Policy, and the draft Guidelines for the Management of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in the Health Sector in Malawi. The project also supported the MoH to finalize the draft Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the approved Guidelines for the Management of Task Shifting to Health Surveillance Assistants in Malawi. MoH has now approved the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. In terms of Result 3, the project made significant progress in improving and strengthening zonal supervision structures of the MoH. The project implemented 5 HMIS Zonal Review meetings reaching 201 MoH Staff and covering both SSDI and non-SSDI districts. The project also supported the MoH to undertake further review of the draft National Health Physical Assets Management Policy, and the draft Guidelines for the Management of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in the Health Sector in Malawi. Additional key stakeholders from other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were included in the review as requested by MoH. In terms of Result 4, the project made significant progress in improving leadership and management of human resources for health (HRH). The project supported the MoH to undertake further review of the draft National Health Physical Assets Management Policy, and the draft Guidelines for the Management of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in the Health Sector in Malawi. In terms of Result 5, the project made significant progress in improving decentralized management of district health services. The project implemented 5 HMIS Zonal Review meetings reaching 201 MoH Staff and covering both SSDI and non-SSDI districts.