WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Iraq Briefing
Northern Governorates: Health Planning
November 2000
Current status
Local health authorities in the Northern Governorates have been constrained from formulating long term health plans by, among other things, political uncertainty, short-term budgets, unpredictable funding levels, cumbersome procedures for imports, the breakdown of the health information system and lack of planning expertise.
As a result, requests for renovation and equipment via the humanitarian funds have been made on the simple premise of renewing the damaged and destroyed existing hospitals and health centres with little accurate analysis of the present or future health needs.
It is widely recognised that the choice of investments made during any large scale rehabilitation programme bear a very long term impact on the future sustainability of the health system, its cost effectiveness and ultimately on its equitability. Planning is therefore becoming an urgent priority, now most basic medical needs are being met
WHO activities
- Programme review: WHO is carrying out a comprehensive review of its programme in Northern Iraq and of the needs of the health sector in order to help local health authorities develop a solid information base and start planning future activities. It will also allow WHO to tailor its own programme to support local authorities in developing this plan and implementing it. The review will take several months and involve technical experts from WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, WHO headquarters in Geneva and international specialists.
- Technical advice: The Iraq desk in WHO Headquarters has created a Technical Advisory Group on Iraq to support the shift of WHO’s programme away from its focus on procurement and observation and towards providing the technical support to creating a comprehensive health policy and building local capacity to fulfil it.
- Health information system: WHO is working with local health authorities to strengthen the capacity and accuracy of the health information system and develop a health profile of the three governorates that can give a reliable foundation for planning decisions. This involves training and technical back-up for health authority and health facility data departments and the development of computerised records.
- Field health planning unit: In view of a substantial increase in funding, WHO is establishing one health planning unit in the north of Iraq. The WHO staff in the health planning unit will work together with the planning units established upon WHO request in the Department of Health in the Northern Governorates.