Success-Stories-on-Health-Sector

ProbleM stateMent
Supportive Supervision (SS) mechanisms are regarded
as an effective measure to improve and strengthen
health systems. Outcomes of multiple public health
intervention measures usually get compromised due
to inadequate and poorly structured SS mechanisms.
Jharkhand has taken many steps to institutionalize and
implement various SS mechanisms aimed at Health
System Strengthening (HSS) and improving coverage
and quality of service delivery of specific programme
interventions. This included formation of State Review
Mission (SRM) Teams, District Monitoring Teams and
designing and implementation of RAPID model of SS for
Routine Immunization.
PrograMMe DescriPtion
To strengthen RMNCH+A outcomes the State has
institutionalized the recently launched Government
of India’s SS checklist, which provides an opportunity
to harmonize and consolidate SS visits by looking at
the critical impact indicators. All the State and District
officials use the SS checklist during their field visits.
To further streamline the use and implementation of the
checklist the last SRM round conducted in November -
December 2014 utilized the checklist to assess the availability
of logistics and practices at the health facilities. Prior to the
initiation of the round an orientation on the SS checklist
was conducted for all SRM team members and data was
analyzed using an excel based tool developed by the
technical team of the USAID/Scale up RMNCH+A Project
The tool helps analyze data district and facility wise
thereby providing an opportunity to the State officials and
district officials to identify and address the gaps existing at
the health facilities.
PrograMMe outcoMes
The SRM round covered 26 Community Health Centers
across 8 districts and accounted for nearly one third
of the total facilities in the visited districts. Significant
observations during the round were presented in form of
information using the data collected through SS checklists.
For example, BP was recorded in only 50% of the facilities
while Partographs were used to monitor progress of labour
in 73% CHCs. Injection Vit K1 was available in 58%, bag and
mask in 62% and clean linen/towel for receiving newborns
in 54% facilities visited.
iMPleMenting Partners
Technical support provided by the USAID/Scale Up
RMNCH+A Project (State RMNCH+A Unit).
scalability
Similar mechanisms can be adopted during future
review & monitoring visits. State is in the process of
institutionalizing an external RMNCH+A Monitoring and
Evaluation system for the High Priority Districts of the
State through Medical Colleges on similar lines.
conclusions/lessons learnt
A limiting factor in earlier SS models in the State had
been the lack of a comprehensive data management and
analysis system. The data analysis tool developed for
the current checklist helps identify critical parameters
and components which need to be addressed at the
State, district and facility levels. This mechanism should
therefore be able to develop an integrated action plan
for strengthening service delivery mechanisms in
Jharkhand.
Contact
Principal Secretary, Department of Health, Medical
Education and Family Welfare, Government of Jharkhand
Email: kasividyasagar@gmail.com)
Mission Director, National Health Mission, Government
of Jharkhand
Email: singhmar.ashish@gmail.com)
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