Rationale

The Local Capacity Initiative (LCI) is born from the desire to put in place a robust system of health care that is fully owned by the community. It is also a strategic approach that aims at boosting the uptake of ANC and PMTCT services in the various health districts.

Through the Local Capacity Initiative (LCI), the CBCHB will create and strengthen support structures, otherwise called dialogue structures in 10 districts to take an active part in leading, supporting, co-financing and co-managing health care programs. This project targets mobilizing, engaging and strengthening stakeholders namely;

District Medical Officers, district management teams, local councils and traditional authorities to own and take the lead in defining their own quality health care and working towards accomplishing it with resources mobilized by them.

This strategy aligns well with PEPFAR’s focus on community engagement to enhance and optimize health service uptake and the sustainability of health programs in resource limited countries such as Cameroon. This approach to health care also fits well with the current drive towards decentralization of services to local councils.

Project objectives

• To Mobilize stakeholders to take ownership of ANC/PMTCT services to ensure sustainability
• To revitalize and build the capacities of dialogue structures and rural councils for good governance, co-financing and co-management for sustainability of services
• To monitor, document and disseminate progress made while building capacities for transitioning to local councils and district.

Traditional rullers during launching of LCI

Project Description
Goal

To build the capacities of rural councils and district Management teams through capacity building and supervision for sustainable quality HIV and AIDS services in the NW and SW regions.

• Project objectives

  • To Mobilize stakeholders to take ownership of ANC/PMTCT services to ensure sustainability
  • To revitalize and build the capacities of dialogue structures and rural councils for good governance, co-financing and co-management for sustainability of services
  • To monitor, document and disseminate progress made while building capacities for transitioning to local councils and district.

• Key project activities

  Objective 1:

  • Conduct baseline surveys
  • Launch project at regional level
  • Hold workshops with district teams
  • Hold workshops with district management committees and stakeholders to define roles and responsibilities of parties involved
  • Hold sensitization workshops in rural councils involved for councilors and stakeholders

  Objective 2:

  • Organize capacity building workshops on management and leadership for councils and dialogue structures
  • Ensure service delivery is effective at various health facilities
  • Organize annual health fair in project districts
  • Mobilize resources for health care delivery

  Objective 3:

  • Develop and implement action plans
  • Provide mentorship on facilitative supervision and Client Oriented Providers Efficient Services (COPE)  for quality improvement
  • Provide feedback for quality improvement
  • Assess stakeholders’ technical, organizational, leadership and managerial capacities for improvement.

• Expected project outcome

  • Well and functional health Management Committees with well-trained members to plan, implement and monitor health activities within their districts.
  • District management team following up to ensure respect of good governance principles at all levels within the district
  • Local councils playing a more defined and coordinated role including health care financing in the districts.
  • Improved monitoring and documentation of health outcomes by district teams
  • District health Management Committees empowered to monitor and ensure the smooth functioning of facilities within the district.

• Approach/sustainability plan

  The project focuses on mobilizing district dialogue structures and rural councils to effectively assume their responsibilities, including health care financing. 
  The CBCHB will use a phase out approach to gradually transition health care service delivery to stakeholders throughout project life.

  In year one, the project will cover the cost of all planned activities. But beginning from year 2, the various stakeholders will budget and support the cost of some activities themselves. It is planned that stakeholders will support 50{84ec4cb95822cdd51999142d55f558455317a1a37bb0171a27050da8bda2032b} of the cost of health care service delivery in PY2 and up to 80{84ec4cb95822cdd51999142d55f558455317a1a37bb0171a27050da8bda2032b} by PY3.

Results dissemination plan

• Select and share best practices during implementation.
• Present progress reports at district and regional coordination meetings
• Hold an end of project meeting with council and traditional leaders and district teams for results dissemination.
• Neutral health experts will be involved to identify best practices for replication

Key project staff

• Project Director: Prof. Tih Pius Muffih, MPH, PhD
• Accountant: Mr. Monju Johnson Vishi, MBA
• Project Manager SWR: Mrs.  Mboh Khan Eveline, MPH
• Project Manager NWR: Ms. Kuni Esther, MSc
• M&E Manager: Mr. Nshom Emmanuel, MSc
• Project Coordinator NWR: Ms. Abuseh Jacqueline, BSc
• Project Coordinator SWR: Ms. Ebot Akem, BSc

Districts concerned

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