An Approach to Planning the Delivery of Health Services - Manual Number 1

摘要

Faced with a scarcity of resources, how can developing countries deliver health care services that yield maximum results. The key is planning, the systematic and continuous process of allocating resources to achieve objectives. This 'how-to' manual, the first in a series of six publications, is designed to teach the health planning process in a developing country setting, based on the experience of the Ministry of Health of Ghana (MOHG). The first phase in the two-phase planning process is to establish a six-step methodology for the plan. Once the plan's methodology is established, the second phase begins. In this phase, a three-part process called the 'Health Planning and Management Cycle' is used, to carry out the plan: (1) health assessment, or the collection and analysis of pertinent data followed by the systematic identification of needs and health priorities; (2) programming, which consists of setting objectives, examining various alternatives for achieving them, and establishing a workable plan and budget to carry out the chosen strategy; (3) implementation, or actually carrying out the programs that have been planned.