Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]
Background: This paper presents learnings from the Re-Imagining Technical Assistance for Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health and Health Systems Strengthening (RTA) project implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria from April 2018 to September 2020 by JSI Research & Trainin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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F1000 Research Ltd
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Gates Open Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/5-141/v1 |
| _version_ | 1819349580414713856 |
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| author | Nosa Orobaton Anne LaFond Dyness Kasungami Jeanne Chauffour Natasha Kanagat Sylvain Yuma Ramazani Jean-Fidèle Ilunga Salma Ibrahim Anas-Kolo John J.P. Ovuoraye Ajiwohwodoma Nkeiru Onuekwusi Oleka Maryjane James Dominion Toto Ezombe Joseph Kasongo Joseph Sunday Christy Asala Gavial Ngambwa Abimbola Williams Célestin Nsibu Emilia Klimiuk Melanie Wendland |
| author_facet | Nosa Orobaton Anne LaFond Dyness Kasungami Jeanne Chauffour Natasha Kanagat Sylvain Yuma Ramazani Jean-Fidèle Ilunga Salma Ibrahim Anas-Kolo John J.P. Ovuoraye Ajiwohwodoma Nkeiru Onuekwusi Oleka Maryjane James Dominion Toto Ezombe Joseph Kasongo Joseph Sunday Christy Asala Gavial Ngambwa Abimbola Williams Célestin Nsibu Emilia Klimiuk Melanie Wendland |
| author_sort | Nosa Orobaton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: This paper presents learnings from the Re-Imagining Technical Assistance for Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health and Health Systems Strengthening (RTA) project implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria from April 2018 to September 2020 by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. and Sonder Collective and managed by the Child Health Task Force. The first of RTA’s two phases involved multiple design research activities, such as human-centered design and co-creation, while the second phase focused on secondary analysis of interviews and reports from the design research. This paper explores the limitations of current technical assistance (TA) approaches and maps opportunities to improve how TA is planned and delivered in the health sector. Methods: We analyzed project reports and 68 interviews with TA funders, providers, and consumers to explore in greater detail their perspectives on TA, its characteristics and drawbacks as well as opportunities for improvement. We used qualitative content analysis techniques for this study. Results: The issues surrounding TA included the focus on donor-driven agendas over country priorities, poor accountability between and within TA actors, inadequate skill transfer from TA providers to government TA consumers, an emphasis on quick fixes and short-term thinking, and inadequate governance mechanisms to oversee and manage TA. Consequently, health systems do not achieve the highest levels of resilience and autonomy. Conclusions: Participants in project workshops and interviews called for a transformation in TA centered on a redistribution of power enabling governments to establish their health agendas in keeping with the issues that are of greatest importance to them, followed by collaboration with donors to develop TA interventions. Recommended improvements to the TA landscape in this paper include nine critical shifts, four domains of change, and 20 new guiding principles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T19:02:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-508cd392a9114473acb0509c4d187f35 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2572-4754 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T19:02:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gates Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-508cd392a9114473acb0509c4d187f352022-12-21T16:43:09ZengF1000 Research LtdGates Open Research2572-47542021-08-01514482Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]Nosa Orobaton0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6440-8118Anne LaFond1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2674-8338Dyness Kasungami2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3944-7817Jeanne Chauffour3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0611-8398Natasha Kanagat4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0522-7453Sylvain Yuma Ramazani5Jean-Fidèle Ilunga6Salma Ibrahim Anas-Kolo7John J.P. Ovuoraye Ajiwohwodoma8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6393-1046Nkeiru Onuekwusi9Oleka Maryjane10James Dominion11Toto Ezombe12Joseph Kasongo13Joseph Sunday14Christy Asala15Gavial Ngambwa16Abimbola Williams17Célestin Nsibu18https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7758-9464Emilia Klimiuk19Melanie Wendland20Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, 98109, USAJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Arlington, VA, 22202, USAJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Arlington, VA, 22202, USAJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Arlington, VA, 22202, USAJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Arlington, VA, 22202, USAMinistry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoMinistry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoFederal Ministry of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaFederal Ministry of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaIndependent Consultant, Abuja, NigeriaNational Primary Health Care Development Agency, Abuja, NigeriaFederal Ministry of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja, NigeriaMinistry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoMinistry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoKaduna State Ministry of Health, Kaduna, NigeriaWhite Ribbon Alliance, Abuja, NigeriaMinistry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Arlington, VA, 22202, USAJSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Arlington, VA, 22202, USASonder Collective, Helsinki, FinlandSonder Collective, Helsinki, FinlandBackground: This paper presents learnings from the Re-Imagining Technical Assistance for Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health and Health Systems Strengthening (RTA) project implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria from April 2018 to September 2020 by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. and Sonder Collective and managed by the Child Health Task Force. The first of RTA’s two phases involved multiple design research activities, such as human-centered design and co-creation, while the second phase focused on secondary analysis of interviews and reports from the design research. This paper explores the limitations of current technical assistance (TA) approaches and maps opportunities to improve how TA is planned and delivered in the health sector. Methods: We analyzed project reports and 68 interviews with TA funders, providers, and consumers to explore in greater detail their perspectives on TA, its characteristics and drawbacks as well as opportunities for improvement. We used qualitative content analysis techniques for this study. Results: The issues surrounding TA included the focus on donor-driven agendas over country priorities, poor accountability between and within TA actors, inadequate skill transfer from TA providers to government TA consumers, an emphasis on quick fixes and short-term thinking, and inadequate governance mechanisms to oversee and manage TA. Consequently, health systems do not achieve the highest levels of resilience and autonomy. Conclusions: Participants in project workshops and interviews called for a transformation in TA centered on a redistribution of power enabling governments to establish their health agendas in keeping with the issues that are of greatest importance to them, followed by collaboration with donors to develop TA interventions. Recommended improvements to the TA landscape in this paper include nine critical shifts, four domains of change, and 20 new guiding principles.https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/5-141/v1TA technical assistance MNCH maternal health neonatal health child healtheng |
| spellingShingle | Nosa Orobaton Anne LaFond Dyness Kasungami Jeanne Chauffour Natasha Kanagat Sylvain Yuma Ramazani Jean-Fidèle Ilunga Salma Ibrahim Anas-Kolo John J.P. Ovuoraye Ajiwohwodoma Nkeiru Onuekwusi Oleka Maryjane James Dominion Toto Ezombe Joseph Kasongo Joseph Sunday Christy Asala Gavial Ngambwa Abimbola Williams Célestin Nsibu Emilia Klimiuk Melanie Wendland Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] Gates Open Research TA technical assistance MNCH maternal health neonatal health child health eng |
| title | Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector [version 1; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector version 1 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | TA technical assistance MNCH maternal health neonatal health child health eng |
| url | https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/5-141/v1 |
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