The P4P pilot a joint-initiative between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Clinton Health Access Initiative and the Ifakara Health Institute, supported by the Government of Norway.
By rewarding health workers for performing high quality reproductive and child health services, and for increasing the generation and use of health information data, the P4P Pilot is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health system leading to improved health outcomes and thereby contributing to accelerate the reduction of maternal, neonatal and child morbidity and mortality. The implementation of the pilot programme will be monitored and evaluated by Ifakara Health Institute, and the lessons and experiences of the pilot will be used to inform the refinement of a national P4P scheme.
“We are confident that the P4P initiative will create an environment that will improve coverage and utilization of health services” said Kibaha District Administrative Secretary, Mr Bernhard Nzungu, in the speech he held on behalf of Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr. Mponda.
Mr Nzungum also mentioned that “Driving the growing interest in P4P is the recognition that there are existing dysfunctional incentives for providers and patients alike within most developing country health systems and this may impede the attainment of health objectives. In this situation, it is unlikely that typical approaches will be sufficient to motivate the types of staff behaviour needed to combine knowledge and inputs to produce effective services and improve health. P4P can be used to influence the behaviour of a wide variety of actors to focus on results.”
In her speech, the Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania H. E. Ingunn Klepsvik emphasized the need for making health services more geared towards results and for ensuring that available resources for health are used more efficiently so health services becomes more accessible and equitable. She referred to the global health debate where Result Based Financing has attracted much attention during the last years as a strategy for achieving improved health results.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Dr Tore Godal, Special Advisor on Global Health to the Prime Minister of Norway. Dr Tore Godal was attending the Meeting in the Commission on Information & Accountability for Women-'s and Children's Health that took place in Dar 1-2 May.