Table 1 PHIT project summaries
Country | Partners involved | Catchment area | Health system strengthening intervention components (Informed by the six WHO building blocks of a health system framework) | Recommendable innovative programs/models/component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ghana (Awoonor et al. 2013) [13] | Ghana Health Service Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division Navrongo Health Research Centre University of Ghana School of Public Health Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health | 500,000 people (District health system in Upper East Region, Ghana) | Extended Newborn Service; IMCI; use of community health; data utilization; strengthening project leadership at all levels of the District health system | Community Health Nurse program Improvement of transport of obstetric emergencies from the community health posts to higher level facilities able to provide expanded emergency obstetric care |
Mozambique (Sherr et al. 2013) [3] | University of Washington Health Alliance International University of Eduardo Mondlane Mozambique Ministry of Health | 1,500,000 people (13 districts in Sofala Province) | Strengthening district health management systems and improving delivery of integrated primary health care | Beira Operations Research Center district−/facility-level data quality assessments Data utilization tools for district-level performance review process |
Rwanda (Drobac et al. 2013) [6] | University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences Rwanda Ministry of Health Harvard Medical School Brigham and Women Hospital Partners In Health | 560,000 people: one and one-half rural districts | Targeted support for health facilities, quality improvement initiatives, strengthened the network of community health workers and improved monitoring and evaluation | Clinical Mentorship and Quality Improvement (MESH-QI model) Integrated mentoring and QI Collaborative to reduce Neonatal Mortality Operational/Implementation research capacity/skills building program |
Tanzania (Ramsey et al. 2013) [15] | Ifakara Health Institute Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Tanzania Training Center for International Health Council Health Management Teams | 857,000 people (Kilombero, Ulanga and Ufiji Districts, Murogoro Region, Tanzania) | Introduction of a new cadre of Community Health Agents (CHAs) into a general program of health systems strengthening and referral. Supervisory systems to support the CHA. District-wide emergency referral strengthening intervention | Community Health Agent program |
Zambia (Stringer et al. 2013) [16] | Zambart Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia | 559,000 people (Lusaka Province) | Clinical protocols for health care quality improvement. Community health workers to actively improve the referral system | Clinic supporters as trained CHWs Standardized Protocols and forms for patient screening Forms for patients consultations |