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Where We Work / Lesotho
Lesotho’s health care system is severely stretched by the demands of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. (HIV prevalence is estimated to be nearly 30 percent of the adult population.) Confronting this crucial situation, the Capacity Project assisted Lesotho’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) with activities designed to have an immediate impact on human resources for health. At the same time, the Project helped the MOHSW to facilitate long-term solutions in this area.
The Project team worked to strengthen Lesotho’s human resources management and information systems and helped to develop a process and mechanisms to ensure implementation of the MOHSW’s 20-year Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan. The team provided technical assistance to match the strategic plan with an implementation plan and led a national workshop for a wide variety of stakeholders to foster national commitment and leadership to carry out the plan. The Project also fielded two consultants for one month to assist the MOHSW to complete a comprehensive organizational restructuring of the health sector in readiness for decentralization.
The Project assisted the MOHSW complete a study to determine strategies to recruit men into the cadre of HIV community health workers, in order to reduce the gender segmentation of the occupation and address the country’s shortage of health workers.
In addition, a Project team used the Human Resources Management (HRM) Rapid Assessment Tool for HIV/AIDS Environments, produced by MSH, to conduct an assessment and organizational climate survey, including employee job satisfaction, with teams at three sites: the central-level Ministry of Health in Maseru; Mafeteng District Hospital; and Beria District Hospital. The team worked with participants to use the assessment findings, results of the survey and the work in progress to prioritize activities and develop an HRM action plan for each site. The action plans detail modest but carefully targeted activities that will address the sites’ HRM needs and areas of performance weaknesses.
Working with faculty at the National Health Training College, the Project supported the revision and implementation of curricula to strengthen HIV/AIDS content. The Project also assisted the College to revitalize a pre-service training program for 57 nursing assistants in Mafeteng and Qacha’s Nek districts. The Project provided clinical demonstration and instruction equipment, reference material and logistical support for practicum training.
The Project also provided technical assistance that resulted in the formulation and implementation of plans and actions to strengthen coordination, management and efficiency of grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Capacity Project activities in Lesotho are continuing through the Southern Africa Human Capacity Development Coalition, a Capacity Project Associate Award led by IntraHealth International.
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