Empowering primary care workers to improve health services: results from Mozambique's leadership and management development program
2008

Improving Health Services in Mozambique

Sample size: 11 Commentary Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Perry Cary

Primary Institution: Management Sciences for Health

Hypothesis

Can empowering primary care workers through leadership development improve health services in Mozambique?

Conclusion

The Challenges Program successfully improved health services in 10 out of 11 health units in Mozambique by empowering staff and integrating leadership training into daily operations.

Supporting Evidence

  • 10 out of 11 health centers improved health services over the year of the program.
  • One unit increased the percentage of attended births from 25% to 35%.
  • Another unit reduced waiting time for pediatric visits by 2.5 hours.

Takeaway

This study shows that when health workers in Mozambique were given tools and support to lead, they were able to make big improvements in their health services.

Methodology

The program involved workshops and ongoing support for health unit staff to develop leadership skills and address health service challenges.

Limitations

The main limitation was the lack of resources and chronic delays in funding, which affected the ambition of action plans.

Participant Demographics

Health unit staff from 11 health units in Nampula Province, Mozambique.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1478-4491-6-14

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