Hope you had a good summer and are ready for a great last quarter in 2017. Here are three more of the lessons we have learned at RGH in our 12 years working to improve how healthcare is delivered in developing countries. I will be sharing more lessons over the next few months so keep saving them. They will save you a lot of work and will help you make a bigger impact. I look forward to hearing how you apply these lessons in your own work.
Lesson 4. The results of development projects are sustainable when the project has been designed that way. Most projects are designed at least a couple of years before implementation starts. Their design is based on a results framework that is designed to achieve the donor’s goals. Donor’s goals are usually aligned with the host country’s health goals, but the direct theory of impact and results on the performance of the country’s public health programs and healthcare delivery facilities. It is our job as implementers of these projects to work with donors and host country authorities to revise the results framework so you can implement activities that will strengthen the country’s programs and healthcare facilities so they can sustain the results you will achieve. So I have question for you about sustainability: Are you through your project or organization helping the country perform at the same level your project is so the health system and its healthcare providers can continue delivering quality services after your project or your donor funding end?
Lesson 5. The ultimate goal of global health programs is to help countries realize the right to health of an increasing number of their population. Yes, fulfilling international human rights legislations and declarations is the foundation of our work in global health. Call it social justice or any other name you want, but all our efforts must come down to how many people actually have access and coverage by the country’s health system and how many do not as a result of what we do. Here is another question for you to ask yourself now: Is your project or organizations accountable for your share of what remains to achieve universal coverage of healthcare services at the highest quality standard? If not, you are doing good work but you need to redesign it to be accountable for coverage results.
Lesson 6. Health workers must deliver quality healthcare efficiently and consistently. They need the right motivation, support and tools to do so. There is a shortage of healthcare workers in every country, still there is very little done to motivate and support those that are at work and motivate and retain them. Little is done to create a continuous pipeline of healthcare providers in every country, starting in one district or state that has the lowest coverage. Here is the last question for you consider how effective your project is: What is your project or organization doing to motivate, support and provide tools to help health workers work more efficiently and consistently? Have you transferred your training programs to local nursing and medical schools to include in the revised curricula so they can continue the training after your project ends?
For more lessons and practical tools to improve healthcare in developing countries, take our free online course: “Improving Healthcare in Developing Countries.” This is a different online program designed to help you apply what you know and use new innovative strategies to make a bigger impact. It is just 3 lessons that will change how you practice global health. This program is for serious and committed professionals that are able to finish what they start. Can you do it?
