USAID/PHCPI Model Clinics: Improving Primary Health Care Services in Iraq

The project aims to upgrade 36 selected primary health care centers to an agreed-upon model standard. The initiative was established in partnership with the Iraqi Ministry of Health to support the Ministry's efforts to improve the quality of primary health care services. The model clinic criteria were developed by the Ministry of Health and PHCPI, and consist of 85 standards that cover all elements of a fully functional model clinic. The standards were grouped into eight domains, including physical structure, cleanliness and infection control, patients' rights and client care, diagnostic and pharmaceutical services, health promotion and community partnership, leadership and quality improvement, medical records and continuity of care, and maternal and child health. A model clinic is defined as a clinic equipped with modern medical equipment, stocked with the needed drugs and medical supplies, staffed with well-trained providers who are in compliance with Ministry of Health clinical protocols and guidelines, and efficiently functioning within a reliable health system. Since its start, PHCPI has worked hand in hand with the Ministry of Health to improve the quality of primary health care services of the 360 primary health care clinics, including the 36 model clinics. Key activities have included strengthening management systems, improving clinical services, enhancing community participation in primary health care decision making, and supplying the clinics with the necessary equipment and upgrades. Recent accomplishments include the acceptance and endorsement of the Model Clinic Criteria by the Ministry of Health, training of 450 PHCC staff on the 85 Model Clinic Standards, and improved compliance and efficiency in the application of standard operating procedures for clinic facility and equipment maintenance management. The upgrade of 36 PHCCs to the level of fully functional model clinics will contribute directly to improvements in health outcomes for the Iraqi people. The model clinics will serve as an example for the development and upgrade of primary health care centers throughout the country by the Ministry of Health. The project has also received support from the USAID/Iraq Mission Director, Dr. Sara Ann Lynch, who visited two model clinics and congratulated the staff on their work to provide the best health service to the people of Iraq. The project has also focused on training and capacity building, with a five-day workshop on the appropriate way to use laboratory biomedical equipment attended by all 36 model clinic laboratory staff. Additionally, a workshop on environmental and sanitation precaution was held at Basrah Children's Hospital, and the current Essential Drug List (EDL) and cold chain management of vaccines guideline were updated. These efforts aim to improve the quality of primary health care services and contribute to better health outcomes for the Iraqi people.