SHORT OVERVIEW ON ELCT-PHC PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
BY MAY 2007:
PRIMARY
HEALTH CARE (PHC):
Is essential
health care that meets health needs of the majority of the people. This
type of care should be accessible to individuals and families and communities
served and communities should
participate in planning and implementation of PHC. Similarly, the care should be integral part of both the national policy
of health system. Such care must be as
close as possible to where people live and work and constitutes
the first element of a continuing health care process. In its essence PHC is a
strategy focusing on health promotion and disease prevention at household level
with the facilitation of change agent at neighbourhood health facilities.
Health families and individuals will be able to work
for their livelihood and stimulate economic growth and hence poverty
reduction. Therefore Primary Health Care
is a requisite for achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by
2015. The
ELCT -
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE UNDER MANAGED
HEALTH CARE PROGRAMME
ELCT – Managed Health are Programme (MHCP)
which started Phase I in 1997-2002 had a component on PHC. Since most of Phase I was for sensitisation
of stakeholders on the Programme, there was no enough time to assist diocese
and health facilities to initiate Comprehensive PHC activities in most of
dioceses. It was recommended that MHCP
of ELCT should make initiatives to strengthen PHC to respond to health needs at
household level and help ELCT health facilities to actively participate in
improving health in districts where ELCT operates.
ELCT- PHC PROJECT
2003-2007:
OVERALL OBJECTIVE: To strengthen Primary Health Care
in all ELCT Dioceses.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
AND RELATED ACTIVITIES:
v Assisting Diocese in formation of
PHC Committees/ Task force
v Training of PHC Committees on
Planning PHC Projects and Management
v Develop PHC Project Plans
including institutional development: establishing PHC Office, office
equipments, transport, e-mail system & telephone, radio calls, supervision,
salary, training IN PHC courses at Iringa PHC Institute/Public Health.
v Training of PHC Committees on
strategies for improving Community Participation in PHC activities
v Training of PHC Committees on use
of PRA for community need assessment (
Participatory Rural Appraisal)
v Assisting dioceses in evaluating
PHC work that has been going on and writer new projects
v Organise study tours for PHC Committees
to enable them learn from well run projects
v Conducting Facilitative
Supervision in dioceses/ health Facilities for advice and problem solving to
improve PHC implementation.
v Formation of Zonal For a for PHC
Coordinators
v Local Governments - Districts
Councils where ELCT operates
v Central Government – working with
Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC)
v 20 diocesan PHC Committees have
been trained on basics for PHC Planning and Management
v 20 Diocesan PHC Committees have
been trained on Strategies for improving Community Participation in Primary
Health Care.
v 15 dioceses have been visited 2
times and 3 dioceses visited once ( South Central and
v 12 dioceses have been Trained on
Participatory Rural Appraisal and its implication on PHC Planning.
v 7 District Medical Officers/
Representatives have participated in Planning PHC Projects / Workshops in some
dioceses of ELCT.
v The following dioceses have finished
to developed Comprehensive PHC Project Documents: 1)Pare, 2)North-Eastern, 3)
East and Coast; 4) Central, 5) Konde, 6) Iringa, 7) Southern Diocese.
v 2 PHC Project Proposals have been
submitted for funding ( Iringa Diocese and East & Coastal Diocese)
v The following dioceses are
implementing Comprehensive PHC projects which are funded: 1) Karagwe Diocese 2) North-Western
Diocese 3) Meru Diocese 4) Dodoma Diocese 5) Northern Diocese 6) Diocese in
Arusha Region esp. HIV/AIDS Programme
v Mid-Term Review of PHC was
performed in March – April 2006 together with MHCP.
v Findings were disseminated to
partners in June and resolved to continue with another Phase 2008-2012.
v Extensive area of work covered by
ELCT
v Lack of update on coverage of
PHC Work in ELCT
v There is big need for frequent
refresher courses for Diocesan PHC Task Teams in planning and management due to
high staff turnover.
v Constant shortage of staff in
ELCT due to inability to meet staff/labour market demands.
v It takes long time for dioceses
to develop PHC Project Documents - thus delaying fund mobilisation for
projects.
v Support PHC Project Evaluation in
5 Dioceses Diocese in Arusha Region, Meru diocese, Northern Diocese, Mbulu
Diocese, Ulanga- Kilombero Diocese
v Support dioceses in writing PHC
Projects and Fund mobilisation for projects implementation.
v Conduct Applied Research for
Evidence-Based Advocacy for fund mobilisation for Health Work in ELCT.
v Improve ELCT-PHC data bank about
coverage of PHC Work.
v Lunching of Zonal Forums for
PHC Coordinators for sharing experience and cut down travel costs.
v Improve sharing of information on
current PHC activities Coordination Office and all dioceses.
v Facilitate Study tours for PHC
Teams
v Solicit Funds for training 17 PHC
Coordinators at Iringa PHC Institute – for 17 dioceses in 2 phases.
v Advocacy at National and District
level for resources
v Train PHC Teams on Advocacy and
Lobbying Skills.
v Document best practices on PHC
work in the diocese
v Updating website of ELCT on PHC work Diocese by diocese
v Increase frequency of Facilitative
supervision in the diocese.
v Networking with other PHC actors
with other Faith-Based Organisations-
including Anglican Church in
v Support diocese in doing Project
Reviews and Evaluations
v Organise Refresher Courses for
PHC Teams to respond to drop-outs
v Training of 14 Diocesan PHC Teams
on PRA
v Submit ELCT - PHC Proposal for
Phase III 2008-2012
v Strengthen PHC work by recruiting
Assist National PHC Coordinator and Accountant and securing bigger Office
Space.
Richard Mwakatundu
National PHC Coordinator - ELCT - Arusha
14 /5/2007