Musanje Khamisi, Nywacho Evelyne B, Mirembe Rachel Faith, Nansamba Joyce, Ruto Grace Cherotich
Psychology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Public Health, Makerere University CHS, Kampala, Uganda.
BMJ Open. 2025 May 24;15(5):e093035. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-093035.
This study aimed to explore the challenges and opportunities in engaging health development partners in planning healthcare services at a sub-national level in Uganda.
An exploratory qualitative study involving selected health development partner organisations and district local governments.
A study was conducted in Northern Uganda, specifically in 12 districts that comprise the Lango and Acholi sub-regions. The study area has many health development partners compared with the other regions in the country.
A total of 18 participants were enrolled in the study. To be considered for inclusion, a participant had to be working for a district local government in Northern Uganda and involved in planning health services or working for a development partner supporting health services in the region. Most of the participants were men aged between 41 and 50 years.
Factors that affect the involvement of health development partners in planning health services at sub-national levels and opportunities that can facilitate involvement.
The findings show that health development partners serve as a source of information and data, guide the planning and supervision of services, conduct community mobilisation and support infrastructure development. However, differing planning cycles, corruption, power dynamics and budget constraints affect their participation in district health planning. Continuous engagement, even outside budget periods, with respect to the terms agreed upon in the memoranda of understanding (MOU), equitable treatment of all partners and transparency from all parties emerged as opportunities to improve involvement.
The involvement and importance of health development partners in planning district-level health services cannot be overstated. Therefore, addressing the challenges that hinder joint planning through a focus on open communication, mutual respect and adherence to the terms of the MOU can improve working relationships.
本研究旨在探讨乌干达在国家以下层面让卫生发展伙伴参与医疗服务规划过程中所面临的挑战与机遇。
一项探索性定性研究，涉及选定的卫生发展伙伴组织和地区地方政府。
研究在乌干达北部进行，具体是在包括兰戈和阿乔利次区域的12个地区。与该国其他地区相比，该研究区域有许多卫生发展伙伴。
共有18名参与者纳入研究。要被纳入，参与者必须在乌干达北部的地区地方政府工作并参与卫生服务规划，或为该地区支持卫生服务的发展伙伴工作。大多数参与者为41至50岁的男性。
影响卫生发展伙伴在国家以下层面参与卫生服务规划的因素以及可促进参与的机遇。
研究结果表明，卫生发展伙伴可作为信息和数据来源，指导服务规划与监督，开展社区动员并支持基础设施发展。然而，不同的规划周期、腐败、权力动态和预算限制影响了它们参与地区卫生规划。即使在预算期之外，就谅解备忘录（MOU）中商定的条款持续进行接触、公平对待所有伙伴以及各方保持透明，成为改善参与度的机遇。
卫生发展伙伴在地区层面卫生服务规划中的参与和重要性再怎么强调都不为过。因此，通过注重开放沟通、相互尊重和遵守谅解备忘录条款来应对阻碍联合规划的挑战，可改善工作关系。
