Nepal Health Sector Program, Implementation Plan, 2004-2009

NHSP-IP (2004-2009) was particularly in achieving the health component of the Millennium Development Goals as set out in HMG’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Nepal’s 10th Five Year Plan, and its fiscal framework.

The NHSP-IP (2004-2009) was a sector-wide program focused on performance results and health policy reform implemented under sector-wide approach (SWAP) with an agreed set of program performance indicators and policy reform milestones for the program duration. It was the operational guideline for implementing the outputs of the Health Sector Reform Strategy during its first five years. It presented a roadmap for this implementation. It ran from July 2004 - July 2009. This covered the remaining period of the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002-2007) and took into account its Medium Term Expenditure Framework. It includes MDG and poverty reduction.

NHSP-IP re-emphasized the objectives of Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-2007) which was to operationalize the Second long-term health plan. They are as follows:

• Making essential health care services (EHCS) available to all people
• Establishing decentralized health system to encourage peoples’ participation
• Establishing Public-private –NGO partnership in the delivery of health care services, 
• Improving the quality of healthcare through the total quality management of human, financial and physical resources

This program also aims to further decrease fertility rate, provide quality health services and bring effectiveness and efficiency in the healthcare.

NHSP-IP sets out three Programme Outputs to strengthen the health service delivery:

1. Prioritized Essential Health Care Services: The priority elements of Essential Health Care Service costed, allocated the necessary resources and implemented. Clear systems in place to ensure that the poor and vulnerable have priority for access 
2. Decentralized Management of Health Facilities: Local bodies responsible and capable of managing health facilities in a participative, accountable and transparent way with effective support from the MoH and its sector partners. 
3. Role for the Public Private Partnership: The role of the private sector and NGOs in the delivery of health services recognized and developed with participative representation at all levels which ensure consumers get access to cost-effective high-quality services that offer value for money.                                                                                                                                                                                                              Five Sector Management Outputs                             
4. Sector Management: Co-ordinated and consistent Sector Management (planning, programming, budgeting, financing and performance management) in place within the MoH supported by the EDPs, to support decentralized service delivery with the involvement of the NGO and private sectors.
5. Financing and Resource Allocation: Sustainable development of health financing and resource allocation across the whole sector including alternative financing schemes in place.
6. Management of Physical Assets: Structure and systems established and resources allocated within the MoH for the effective management of physical assets and procurement, distribution and rational use of drugs, supplies and equipment.
7. Human Resource Development: Clear and effective Human Resource Development policies, planning
8. Integrated Management Information System and Quality Assurance Policy: Comprehensive and integrated management information system for the whole health sector designed and functional at all levels.

Thus, there are a total eight Health Sector Programme Outputs.