Human Resources for Health in Maternal, Neonatal and - HRH ...

4. Monitoring and coaching
5. research and development activities to support the system, including strategic and
incentive issues
The evaluations of this system has indicated increased HR motivation due to the development
of clear standards and job descriptions and access to continuous learning. This has included
staff engaged in MNRH in community centres.(FK-UGM/WHO 2009) which is discussed
below. A strategic action plan for the next five years is currently being developed. The
CPDMS managerial tool could have potential use in other contexts in the Asia and Pacific
regions and could be applied to other cadres at community level.
There are two important tools for HRM that have been developed by Management Sciences
for Health (MSH 2003; MSH 2003) based upon a earlier tool the HRH assessment tool (MSH
1999). The HRM Rapid Assessment Tool for Public and Private Sector Health Organisations
and the HRM Rapid Assessment Tool for HIV/AIDS Environments are step by step guides
based on the HRH Assessment tool. However despite being very HRM focused they are
generic and do not focus on MNRH at community level. These tools are reportedly easy to
use and widely applicable however they do not measure the productivity level of employees.
The MSH MRM Rapid Assessment Tool was used to improve retention and performance in
the Family Life Education Programme (FLEP), a reproductive health program that provides
community-based health services through 40 clinics in five districts of Uganda (O'Neil 2008).
The implementation of the action plan showed promising results that focused on
professionalising HRM management within the organisation. WHO has produced a number
of resources managers on HR that although not specially aimed at the community level or
MNRH have some applicability in this context and with adaptation may be useful (WHO
1993). The District Health Management Team Training Module 3 (Chatora 2005): on Health
Resources planning, recruitment, selection and placement of Staff .conducting meetings,
promoting staff motivation, performance appraisal, supervision, continuing education ,
managing interpersonal conflict and discipline.
Other generic assessment tools may be useful to managers in crisis settings at community
level that could be adapted to include HRH engaged in MNRH. These include McDonnell
and Yassin‘s tool which includes an assessment of HRH as one of it‘s four core (2007) and
the WHO Guide to health workforce development in post-conflict environments (Smith
2005).
There appears to be a lack of tools for managers with HRH responsibilities at community
level in MNRH. Available tools focus on facility and programme management with only
passing reference to HRH or they are generic HRH tools with no reference to MNRH context.
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