Improving population’s health management through strategic facility planning in the region of Mangystau, Kazakhstan
During a hands-on training from 1 to 2 September in Aktau, Mangystau region, Oblast Health Department officials and local health facilities directors and managers discussed and practised seven areas for strategically guiding the work of their health facilities. These seven areas included:
- knowing your population;
- adapting services;
- aligning system enablers;
- managing change;
- developing human resource plans;
- financial planning and
- monitoring and evaluating performance.
This stepwise approach was developed in line with the "Densaulyk" National Health Strategy of Kazakhstan and the WHO European Framework for Action on Integrated Health Services Delivery.
The workshop was organized by the WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care in Almaty.
Background
Adopting a population-based approach to health facility strategic planning can effectively reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases and infant mortality. To achieve this, health facility managers, it is argued, are vital to translating the priorities of national and regional authorities while ensuring their services remain responsive to the specific needs of the communities they serve. This involves a stepwise approach to facility strategic planning that stratifies the population, adapts services to patient needs and manages financial and human resources with a primary health care approach.
This work is part of the WHO collaboration with the Government of Kazakhstan to improve services delivery under the auspices of a Joint Programme of Work signed in 2014 by the Government of Kazakhstan and United Nations agencies. The Joint Programme of Work aims to achieve more sustainable and equitable progress in social, health and economic development.
