This project works to strengthen the health sectors Human Resources for Health (HRH) to improve health outcomes. The projects focus on HR issues for health including performance needs assessments, training institution's ability to address current health needs, recruitment- hiring-deployment mechanisms in the health sector to minimize imbalanced health workers distribution, retention initiatives particularly for marginalized regions, and focused planning and management of HR needs for the country. Additionally, the project supports the HRH information system as well as policy initiatives related to HRH. The Capacity Project intends to purchase 1 vehicle in FY12. This activity supports GHI/LLC and is funded primarily with pipeline in this budget cycle.

The funds will be used to support health workers salaries and managent to ensure retention and quality of performance. The health workers supported by the funds work in the Government of Kenya facilities that are in hard to reach regions, the purpose is to ensure continutiy of services(Especialy PEPFAR supported services) in these regions.

The project has given support to NACC and NASCOP. This has enabled them to hire a Youth Program Officer under the Rapid Hiring Plan to support the delivery of HIV care and support services targeting OVCs. The Officer is based at NACC and oversees patient attendants, patient support staff, and CCC attendants in different regions.

Support has been directed to strengthening the HR capacity of the National Public Health Laboratory Services (NPHLS). The project recruited ICT specialists to support the roll out of the Laboratory Management Information and has enabled its full implementation. The project has continued to offer technical advice to enable NPHLS to design appropriate HRH and recruitment plans. Through this support, NPHLS has gained additional partner resources to establish new positions that enable it to implement its mandate.

The project hired staff under the RHP program who continue to offer services in facilities and CCs across the country (8 provinces) focused on improving access to CT. The project also supported the development of Human Resources Information System which has availed critical information on staff currently working in health facilities. Strategic information is generated from the current engagement with the Global Fund. The TA at NASCOP also trained the provincial and district level HIV coordinators and health records officers from Nyanza, Coast, and Nairobi provinces on HIVQUAL. In addition, this project will support activities which aim to improve staffing of personnel responsible for management of health data at the facility and county levels. Specifically, this project will support 12 HMIS technical advisors, 12 district/county health records and information officers, and staff for the division of Health Information System help desk for maintenance of MFL.

The project has applied resources to strengthen systems for health services delivery with particular emphasis on HIV. These include strengthening the HR system for rapid recruitment of new staff, which GOK has applied in the recent massive hiring of over 10000 new workers under the Economic Stimulus Program. The project uses an innovative model for induction using self-directed e-learning approaches, which will enable rapid hiring of staff and improve staff performance. Similarly, the project has installed an integrated HR information system that enables MOH to make informed decisions around staff deployment, training, and performance management. The project has also demonstrated its Rapid Hiring Plan approach and enabled MOH to adapt these practices for recruitment and routine management. In addition, the project is working to strengthen institutional and HRM systems at the National AIDS and STI Control Program, Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, and the Division of Reproductive Health. This entails comprehensive HR assessment, developing institutional strategic plans, and designing interventions that can address limitations. The project is also working with the National Transitional Taskforce to design structures and strategies for health service delivery, including HIV services, and reforms needed to enable NASCOP, NACC, DRH and KEMSA to offer quality decentralized services to the new 47 counties as outlined in the new Constitution.

Through project support to NASCOP and NACC, the respective TA were able to support activities geared to improving VCT uptake across the country. Similarly, contract staff working in CCCs across the country have continued to support VCT promotion and VCT activities within the respective regions and facilities. The project has also recruited and deployed VCT counselors across the country in facilities in the APHIAPlus Zones, who provide direct service delivery and document data for strategic information on uptake and progression to enrolment for ARV drugs.

Through project support to NASCOP and NACC, the respective TAs were able to support activities geared to improving VCT uptake across the country. Similarly, contract staff working in CCCs across the country have continued to support VCT promotion and actual VCT activities within the respective regions and facilities. The project has also recruited and deployed VCT counselors across the country in facilities in the APHIAPlus Zones, who provide direct service delivery and document data for strategic information on uptake and progression to enrolment for ARV drugs.

Contract staff was hired and offers services across health facilities in 8 provinces and continue to participate in facility and regional level HIV prevention activities. Similarly, the project hired TA to support the Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) in rolling out integrated reproductive health services to both youth and adult populations. Specifically the TA has supported better leadership and management for effective and efficient coordination of high quality services through the implementation plan and has improved DRH coordination of services and commodity security through newly created teams, including separation of the FP Program into the RH Commodity Logistics Management Unit (CMLU) and the FP services program. The TA has also offered ongoing technical support to DRH programs including RT Cancer, to finalize, launch and disseminate guidelines; to revise the ASRH Policy and Guidelines and develop a more comprehensive approach to adolescent health; to revise the Master of Medicine (Ob/Gyn) curriculum; to support the Division in planning and hosting the Adolescent Sexual Reproduction health (ASRH) Conference and co-hosting the Community Approaches to FP Regional Conference.

The project will provide technical assistance in the dissemination of Nutrition and HIV information through various forums (Nutrition and HIV Advocacy); support in forecasting and quantifying nutrition and HIV commodities; development and dissemination of completed IEC Materials for harmonized Nutrition and HIV messages; dissemination at all levels of guidelines that are currently out for external review; provision of TA support in implementation of operational research on nutrition at selected sites; technical support for the completion of review processes and dissemination of a community Nutrition and HIV manual; attendance at two workshops planned by NASCOP Nutrition program to develop the QA and SOPS; participation in the dissemination that will be done through various forums with the PNOs and PCNOs; and support for the national office in the dissemination of the nutrition and HIV guidelines using innovative approaches. The funds will be used to pay health workers salaries namely nurse and clinical officers in various health facilities within the countrys rural and hard to reach areas. This will increase the number of staff in such facilities, a pull factor for mothers to seek services at health facilities and especially delivery services. More numbers of staff will enable targeted facilities to offer services on a twenty four hours basis, hence boost health facility based deliveries. The staff will also help improve on the quality and increase the scope of services offered at such facilities.

The Project hired staff under the RHP program who continue to offer services in facilities and CCCs across the country (8 provinces) focused on improving access to CT. The Project also supported recruited TA for NASCOP with the mandate to support the formulation of policies and guidelines on ART. The TA supported the finalization and dissemination of national ART guidelines and worked with the TWG to develop the first HIV Drug Resistance country report in 2010, the design and roll out of regional sensitization on HIV Drug Resistance Early Warning Indicators (HIV DR EWIs), HIV Drug Resistance monitoring surveillance in two facilities in Kisumu, and training on HIV Drug Resistance Database for Kenya. Similarly the Project offered technical assistance in finalization of harmonized in-service curricula in HIV care and treatment sections.