Second District PBF Forum held on 30th May 2011

PBF Rungwe Pilot Project organized quite successfully the second District PBF forum.  It was held at Tukuyu RC youth Hostel on 30^th May 2011.  The first one was held last year in August.  The objective of the forum was to update forum members on PBF Rungwe Pilot Project progress and to give feedback on challenges faced by Igogwe and Itete hospitals in CCHP plans preparation as part of Service Agreement arrangement.  The forum was opened by Rev. Geoffrey Mwakihaba – ELCT Konde Diocese Assistant to Bishop, and attended by 14 members.

Two presentations were made during the forum:  The first one was on PBF Rungwe Pilot Project Progress, challenges and proposed solutions by Zonal PBF Coordinator. On the other hand, the second presentation was made by Dr. Carina Dinkel from Itete hospital on Comprehensive Council Health Plan (CCHP)-the experience of Igogwe and Itete hospital.

After the presentations, the participants raised questions which were quite objective.  For example:  They were concern on: How can the Project help on Staff motivation, Is service Agreement understood well by Policy makers and implementers, Is SA worth striving for when it was realized that the Government has no fund to finance Service Agreement (Referring to Local Government as highlighted by DMOO), that District Council has no fund for Service Agreement and that Church leaders should  consult higher level Government Officials so that Service Agreement is given Vote in Government Budget.  Additionally, DMO commented that Policy making and implementation are two different things.  SA arrangement is a policy issue which need Political Commitment in order to have funds to finance it.

On CCHP Plan, Igogwe and Itete hospital experience.  Dr Carina indicated the difficulty faced by hospitals, and made reference to the guideline, which state that: The CDH and VA hospitals receiving Basket Funds or sign the Service Agreement are restricted not to charge MNCH services .Page 44, Point 3.2 e)  again, As the CCHP guideline was distributed as draft and there are also passages like: “CDH and VAH will receive funds from the Health Basket. The Health Block Grant will not be given to CDH and VAH because they receive their allocation directly from the central government (Service Agreement)“ 3.5, c), d), e) CCHP draft.

On this topic, that was a point of very active discussion.  The DMO intervened by saying that:  The CCHP Guideline used was a draft in the first place, though it was used for preparation of 2011/2012 Plans.  He noted that there were many things which were not so clear in the document.

The members were of the opinion that, CCHP Guideline need to give explicit clarification on how VAH will proceed on accessing government funding in health care provision.

After many hours of discussion and brainstorming on way out for Service Agreement, the forum members came up with one major recommendation which was: request Bishops to consult higher level Government official- they name Head of State to enable church facilities to have special vote in the Government budget for Human Resource for Health and Medical Supplies.  This request will be channeled through CSSC Zonal office.  With Such conditions in place, Service Agreement was said practical and feasible.

This was the most fruitful forum, which bring in board all key stakeholders who had open mind and sought after solutions for the project instead of pointing fingers on other parties, that is why it was aforementioned as very successful forum.

See the Group Photo of the Forum Members after the session.

                Seated in front from left-DMO Rungwe, next Chairperson of the forum

          and on the right, Chairperson of Moravian Church of Tanzania- South Province.