Table 3 Key actors and their roles in health policy development and implementation
From: Implementing the skilled birth attendance strategy in Uganda: a policy analysis
Actors | Roles |
|---|---|
National level | |
 Reproductive Health Unit, Ministry of Health (MOH) | The Reproductive Health Unit develops policy, provides coordination and guidance, technical support and supervision of the districts for maternal health. |
 Ministry of Education and Sports | Responsible for pre-service training of health workers, licensing and regulation of training schools |
 Ministry of Public Service | Recruits and deploys personnel into civil service, defines standards, maintains the payroll, determines incentives including for health workers. |
 Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic development | Sources for and allocates finances according to priorities set by the government |
 National Association of Women Ministers and Parliamentarians, Parliament of Uganda | Influences policy formulation, reviews and approves the government budget. Advocates for maternal child health in fora with the President, Parliament. |
 Health Professional Councils e.g. Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council and Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council. | License and regulate the practice of health workers and health units, ensures that training schools comply with standards of medical practice. Sets and reinforces standards for professional qualification, health worker performance, patient safety and ethical practice. |
 Health Professional Associations e.g. Association of Obstetricians Gynecologists, Uganda Nurses and Midwives Association. | Advocate on behalf of their members for professional welfare and standards. |
 Health Service Commission | Reviews terms and conditions for service, establishes code of conduct of government health workers. |
Private not for profit organisations | |
 Religious Bureaus: Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau, Uganda Muslim Medical Bureau, Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau and Uganda Orthodox Medical Bureau | Contribute to policy formulation at National Level, owns and supervises almost 50% of health facilities that provide health services at national, district and lower levels. |
 Bilateral/ Multilateral Partners | |
The World Bank (Health systems strengthening project) | Funds infrastructural development e.g. renovation and equipment for facilities, strengthening referral systems, improving maintenance. |
 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) | Provides technical support, equipment and supplies for referral and district hospitals. Sponsors training of midwives from hard to reach areas (bonding for 3 years). Provides EMONC training in eight districts. Supports training colleges and the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council. |
 World Health Organisation | Provides technical assistance to MOH, funds for needs assessments |
 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) | Provided scholarships for 5 years to train 90 health workers in Karamoja region (bonding for 3 years). |
 United States Agency for International development (USAID), Baylor Project | Scholarships to train, recruit and deploy 500 midwives for five districts in south- west, and northern Uganda. Provides technical assistance for policy formulation, support supervision. Equip laboratories |
 United Nations Agencies and United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID/UKAID) | Training of midwives through bursaries for Karamoja and northern districts. Funds regional workshops to address maternal health and quality of Care. |
 European Union | Funds for human resources development |
Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) | Funds for the health-training bursary fund. Funded rehabilitation of training schools, maintenance of equipment. |
 Embassy of Belgium | Scholarships for an average of 60 new students from hard to reach areas every year. |
Civil Society Organisations | |
 E.g. White Ribbons Alliance, Reproductive Health Uganda, Family  Health international | Advocate for accountability and improved maternal service delivery, conduct studies and commission reports |
 Uganda National Health Consumers Association | Advocate for providers and consumers for quality health care. Advocate for community participation and accountability. |
DISTRICT LEVEL | |
 District Health Officers and Health Team | Implement health policy on behalf of MOH, supervise and manage health personnel. |
 District Service commission | Recruit, discipline and set conditions of service for district health staff on behalf of Health Services Commission |