Technical Assistance to the Planning Unit Health Sector Project (1996 - 1998)
The two objectives of this project were to 1) strengthen the Ministry of Health's (MoH) capabilities in the areas of health policy, health-sector management, and public health and 2) improve health care in selected regions by means of rehabilitating training and health facilities and streamlining services delivery. MCDI initiated the installation of the MedSolve Health Sector Financial and Planning Module, which it translated into Portuguese and programmed to meet specific Ministry of Health requirements. (MedSolve is a tool developed by MCDI for managing investment and finance planning, program and account budgeting, expenditure control, manpower management, pharmaceutical procurement, pricing, and sales.)
In collaboration with other donors, MCDI conducted a series of training workshops on budgeting, human resources management, and pharmaceutical planning.
In addition, after making several site visits, MCDI presented recommendations for a revised Health Management Information System (HMIS); assessed the current capacity of the National Directorate for Human Resources (DNRH) to manage HR needs such as payroll, accounting, and benefit functions; participated in HR Work Group sessions; and introduced a computerized manpower-management system in the DNRH.
