THAILAND - RURAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE EXPANSION

20 PROVINCES HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THE PROGRAM. PROJECT SEEKS TO DEVELOP HEALTH MANPOWER TRAINING AND IMPROVE HEALTH PROGRAM RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CAPABILITIES. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1. TRAINING A CADRE OF MEDICAL AND PARAMEDICAL PERSONNELINCLUDING VILLAGE VOLUNTEERS AND HEALTH COMMUNICATORS. 2. STRENGTHENING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CAPABILITIES. 3.INCREASING HEALTH PROGRAM MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY, ESPECIALLY AT THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL. 1-YR TRAINING PROGRAMS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1000 COMMUNITY PARA-PHYSICIANS AND/OR NURSEPRACTITIONERS AND MIDWIVES. INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR NURSES WITH AND WITHOUT PUBLIC HEALTH BACKGROUND BY THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY. TRAINING WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR CHILD NUTRITION CENTER ATTENDANTS. STUDIES WILL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH FACILITIES AND MANPOWER IN THE 20 PROVINCES; AN EVALUATION OF THE TRAINING OF HEALTH VOLUNTEERS,VILLAGE HEALTH COMMUNICATORS AND THE TRAINING OF TRAINERS. IN ADDITION, THERE WILL BE A SURVEY OF PATIENTS VIA HOUSEHOLDS. PROJECTS WILL BENEFIT THE RURAL POOR. PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH OF THE RTG. THIS PROJECT IS PART OF A WORLD BANK (AND OTHER DONOR) ACCELERATED FAMILY PLANNING AND HEALTH PROGRAM (RTG/AFPH) EXPANDED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (IDA). WHILE RTG/AFPH PROJECT IS ALSO IMPLEMENTED IN THE 20 PROVINCES, IT FOCUSES ON FAMILY PLANNING ASPECTS WHILE THE USAID PROJECT EMPHASIZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL HEALTH AND CENTRAL MOPH RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CAPABILITY. AID PROVIDES A PUBLICHEALTH ADVISOR, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, BILINGUAL SECRETARY, SHORT-TERM TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS FOR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION; SALARIES, ALLOWANCES, TRAINING, CONTINGENCY AND INFLATION. RTG PROVIDES SALARIES AND ALLOWANCE.