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1. What is the Balkans Primary Health Care Policy Project (BPHCP)?
Canadian Government through the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA) funds the BPHCP project in the Republic of Serbia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This Project aims to contribute to the achievement of responsive and accountable primary health care systems in the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina that improves their citizens health outcomes, creating an enabling environment for social, economic and political development.
The Project is part of a broader health programme in the region which includes: The Balkans Youth and Health Project, the Strengthening Balkans Civil Society’s Voice for Public Health through Public Health Associations and CIDA Local Initiatives Programme.
In the Republic of Serbia the focus of the Project is on strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) stewardship and service delivery. In Bosnia the Project focuses on Human Resources Management and Regulation. Throughout the Project five cross cutting themes are addressed: vulnerable groups, public sector competence, private sector, EU accession and gender equality.
2. Who is implementing the Project?
The BPHCP is executed by the a Canadian Consortium of the Canadian Society for International Health and Queen’s University supported by a team of experts with experience and knowledge in primary health care and human resources for health.
The project is implemented from September 2006 to September 2009.
3. Who are the national partners in the Project?
The respective Governments are the principal partners in the Project. In Serbia the key partner is the Ministry of Health. In Bosnia and Herzegovina the key partners are the Ministries responsible for health in the two entities, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in the Republic of Sprska and the Ministry of Health in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Project will also work closely with the District of Brcko and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The Project is implemented jointly with the respective Governments.
4. How does the Project work with its partners?
The Project creates an environment which provides space for all stakeholders to actively participate in its design and implementation and, therefore, take ownership of its results. Flexibility to respond to changing context and stakeholder needs is built into the Project.
5. Does the Project work with other partners in the two countries?
The Project is designed to engage with the key stakeholders in the respective jurisdictions. This includes: consumers, providers, policy makers, managers of health institutions, regulators and educators. It will work with governments at all levels. Special attention will be paid to the issues of vulnerable populations.
6. Who are the beneficiaries of the Project?
Beneficiaries of the Project are governments at all levels, health workers, and consumers of health care. As the quality of health care workers improves and their services become more accessible those in need of services will benefit.
7. What does the Project hope to achieve in the Republic of Serbia?
The Government of Serbia has articulated its commitment to strengthening the PHC system and has passed several key health laws in support of this policy direction. They are The Law on Health Care, The Health Insurance Law and the Law on Health Professionals’ Chambers. Building on these laws the Project supports local partners to develop the PHC policy which will ensure access to high quality PHC services for all citizens. The Project works with the government to improve its policy development and implementation process through greater inclusion of stakeholders and use of evidence.
8. What are the main activities in Republic of Serbia?
The project has four sets of inter-related activities:
 Policy development
Quality of health services
Role of providers
Voice of consumers
Working Groups for the four areas guide the format and content of activities to:
assess current situation and identify with stakeholders feasible actions for change
build the capacity of managers and providers
strengthen management systems
develop tools and instruments for better communication between stakeholder groups
apply selected clinical practice guidelines
strengthen continuing professional development for improved quality of services
develop strategy with consumer and vulnerable groups to improve participation in policy development
Demonstration sites will incorporate different interventions to gather evidence and information to strengthen processes and content for policy making while strengthening the capacity of sites to respond to the changing regulatory and organizational environment.
9. What does the Project hope to achieve in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Two entities recently adopted a Primary Health Care Strategy which has to be supported by appropriate health human resources strategies. The Project improves supply and use of health workers to strengthen health service delivery. It builds capacity for the development of HHR planning and management, and supports alignment of education reforms with European standards. Quality of health workers will be improved by strengthening of regulation and accountability mechanisms, chambers and associations. the main activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
There are four sets of complementary and inter-related activities:
Health Human Resources (HHR) planning, management and governance
Education of health professionals
Education for HHR
Regulation, accountability and quality
10. What are HHR and why are they important?
HHR are all individuals, professionally trained and non professionals who are engaged in the delivery of health services to individuals and populations. The spectrum includes doctors, nurses, technicians, volunteers, and administrators. Research has shown that there is a direct link between health status of the population and number and type of health care workers. The costs of HHR are the largest health care cost.
11. What are the examples of the main activities and their results?
Undertaking situation analyses as a basis for planning
Continuing education in planning and management of HHR for 120 operational managers and policy makers
Collaboration with Public Health Institutes on collection of HHR information from PHC and health institutions to establish a solid basis for informed planning of HHR incl. Baseline assessment of current situation
Supporting five people to the Master’s level in HHR development in order to build capacity and leadership skills for HHR planning
Development of HHR strategic plan to guide the development of HHR in the next 5-10 years where the cconsensus building on HHR planning approaches will precede
Capacity building and leadership development for associations and chambers of health professionals
Action learning through demonstration projects provides evidence to improve productivity and motivation of health workers, and efficiencies in service delivery.
Working Groups in the Republic of Srpska and in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina take the lead in identifying and designing activities that contribute to the strengthening of the approaches to HHR planning and management.
12. What is the value of the Project?
The investment in the Project by CIDA is $7 million Canadian Dollars for activities in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is estimated that $3.5 Canadian Dollars will be spent for activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina including District Brcko, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Republic of Srpska.
13. What are the regional activities?
Regional activities aim to build partnerships and coordinate across countries in the region. They allow for knowledge translation and experiences exchange through better communication among different stakeholders. Activities include:
Regional conferences, workshops and visits
Communication vehicles for knowledge dissemination
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