DISTRICT SUPPORT AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Overall component objective

‘To support provision of efficient and comprehensive health services which respond to the people’s needs’.

– Ministry of Health and social welfare– 4 regions – Tanga, Mbeya, Lindi, Mtwara– 25 Districts

DHQM specific objective

To enable the district health services in Mtwara, Lindi, Tanga and Mbeya regions to provide efficient and comprehensive health services which respond to the people’s needs

Achievements

Support at National level– develop national guidelines for establishment of

Comprehensive Council Health Plans (CCHPs) – Develop Tanzania Quality Improvement Framework

Regional level– Establishment and training Regional QIT– Data processing using PHC tool– Support to develop health care technical services

system– Quality in health care conference

Achievements …

Support to districts

– develop annual CCHPs

– improve data collection, processing and analysis in the sector using PHC Tool

– Computer training of CHMTs

– Assistance in specific activities aiming at reducing IMR and increase professionally monitored deliveries

Achievements …

Health facility level

– Establish and train QI Teams (14 district and 4 regional hospitals

– Hospital performance and self assessment tool

– Refurbishment and equipment to facilities (Mtwara and Tanga)

– Health care waste management

Challenges

• Quality improvement is not given priority by managers

• Uncoordinated development of quality improvement tools and approaches by different stakeholders

• The human resource for health crisis• Insufficient financing of health services• Communities not taking active role in

quality improvement measures

Future outlook

• Strong commitment to support improvement of quality of supervision

• Health care technical services with a focus on maintenance of health infrastructure and equipment

• To workout and implement mechanisms to sustain developed quality improvement structures and tools

Questions for discussion

• What would you consider as the main issues of quality improvement in decentralized public and private health services?

• Pertaining to financial assistance, which tools can be considered as the most important to create conducive environment for development of a district health system?