PATHS Final programme report: "Togetherness in Health" the Enugu ...

Development of anSMoH Health StrategyAll activities undertaken by theMinistry of Health should beunderpinned by a State HealthStrategy. Enugu had a state healthplan which was due to end in2006. Thus it seemed appropriate,particularly with the advent of theDistrict Health System, to developa State Strategy for Health. Theidea was that this would form thelink between the Federal and Statepoverty reduction strategies (NEEDSand SEEDS respectively) and theSMoH business plan.The purposes of the strategy were:International Health policy(Millennium Development Goals)Federal Government NEEDS(Reflecting international requirements e.g. MDGs)Enugu State SEEDS(Reflecting DHS & NEEDS requirements + MDGs)Health Strategy - MoH(Reflecting DHS & SEEDS requirements + MDGs)••to support and provide aframework for the current andBusiness Plan - MoHfuture health systems reform(Including SHB/LHA business plans)processes as enunciated in theEnugu State Health Law 2005 andthe SEEDS documentFacility Business Plansto drive health delivery atDistrict, Local Government andcommunity levels within the context of social development issues prioritized in the State’s PovertyReduction Strategy document.The strategic health planning initiative began in 2005. The intention was that this process wouldprovide an ideal opportunity for PDPD, within their revised remit under the DHS, to demonstrateleadership of the policy development process. However, despite the provision of considerableinternational and regional consultancy support, progress was not as rapid as had been hoped, partlydue to poor capacity within PDPD. In late 2005 a concept note was produced as a way of deepeningstakeholders’ understanding of the strategic development process. The concept note proposed thatthe health strategy should cover the period 2006 to 2010 and that the development process beparticipatory and driven by PDPD.The following steps were recommended••••Undertaking a Situational AnalysisDissemination of study findings and widespread discussion, and consensus building amongstakeholdersDrafting the Health Strategy and submission for state approvalDissemination of the content of the strategy and preparing for its launchFurther work in early 2006 produced a very early draft outline. However, a change in circumstanceswithin the PATHS programme left further development on the back burner until mid-2007. In 2007“Togetherness in Health” the Enugu Experience in Health Sector Reform, 2002-2008 29