Regional health management teams in strengthening health system: Regional health management 2 project in Tanzania

Regional Health Management Teams (RHMTs) are providing managerial support to Council Health Management Teams (CHMTs) in districts to ensure delivery of quality health services, particularly by conducting routine supportive supervisions (SS) to CHMTs. Because the tools and the processes of SS have varied among regions, through the project for Capacity Development in Regional Health Management Phase 2 (RHM2), the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is institutionalizing the tools and the system of SS in 25 regions of mainland Tanzania. The standardized and streamlined tools for Regional Management Supportive Supervision (RMSS) were developed through the iterative process of pre-testing in five districts of three regions, and consultations at Technical Working Group at the Central MoHSW. By utilizing the tools during routine supervision activities, the RHMTs will monitor the progress of the Comprehensive Council Health Plan (CCHP). Through the introduction of the RMSS tools, the MoHSW aims to institute a culture of supportive supervision, collegial interaction and constructive feedback, which will be translated into quality improvement at the Council level and to achieve the targets set forth in the CCHP. This presentation will report on the results of the introduction of these tools, which launched from March of 2013.