Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Details for Mechanism ID: 10284
Country/Region: South Africa
Year: 2009
Main Partner: To Be Determined
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: Implementing Agency
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $0

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $0

SUMMARY:

Increasing and strengthening human resources for health is essential not only to meet objectives of the

President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), but also for most developing countries to meet their

broader health objectives and health-related Millennium Development Goals. This activity will work with the

national and provincial Departments of Health in South Africa to strengthen their existing Human Resources

Information Systems (HRIS). The system allows policy and decision makers to obtain and use accurate

human resources data for health to quickly answer key planning, policy and management questions

affecting health care service delivery.

BACKGROUND:

Developing countries cannot plan and manage their public health workforce because of information

deficiencies and inaccuracies. South Africa has an HRIS based at the Health Professionals' Council.

However, it is not used to its capability because of a lack of training and equipment. In addition, it is not fully

institutionalized.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: Training and Capacity Building

Human resources personnel will be trained at the national and provincial level to use the HRIS for program

decision making and planning. Ongoing technical assistance will be provided to support the staff to ensure

that the HRIS becomes institutionalized. The focus will be on data collection, analysis and workforce

planning methods in country-level HR studies to account for different gender roles and life cycle needs in

relation to career progression, deployment and working hours. Policies and plans will aim to address direct

and indirect discrimination and promote equal opportunities to be educated, trained, hired, promoted,

compensated and socially protected without regard to gender.

ACTIVITY 2: Equipment

One of the gaps that the South African government has noted as a weakness in the utility of the HRIS is the

lack of a server to operate it effectively. FY 2009 funds will be used to purchase the required equipment.

New/Continuing Activity: New Activity

Continuing Activity:

Table 3.3.18: