Description

NHSSP II (2014-2018) ensures that a comprehensive set of health services is provided as a holistic response to the health needs of the people of the Kingdom of Swaziland. The plan is built around a functional rather than structural approach, with various interlocking elements that all work towards a common health agenda. NHSSP II draws on the Swaziland Development Index (SDI), the National Development Strategy (1999), and the National Health Policy (2007), which are informed by global and countrywide health aspirations. It constitutes the medium-term strategic focus for the health sector. The plan involves addressing health-seeking behaviours and health actions in other sectors, in addition to the traditional public health and curative services. A stronger element of client-focused and client-centered health services has been introduced into the plan, as well as a comprehensive and rationalized health systems investment focus which ensures that all the critical investment needs of the health sector are addressed. Furthermore, it focuses more on strengthening the regulation of health service provision. NHSSP design is based on the need to attain equity of access to health and related services as defined in the Essential Health Care Package (EHCP).

This implies that health sector activities during this period shall focus on:

1. increasing the number of health and related services and interventions provided across the country (introduction of interventions as and where needed);
2. expanding population coverage by the various health and related services and interventions (scale-up of intervention use); and
3. reducing the household financial burden incurred at the point of access and in the use of health and related services and interventions (reduce catastrophic health expenditures). N

HSSP II has seven interlinked chapters as follows:

a) Chapter 1 provides background information on the overall strategic plan – indicating where the focus and priorities lie;

b) Chapter 2 describes the overall strategic direction and focus of NHSSP II;

c) Chapter 3 defines the health services that the health sector intends to make available to the people in the Kingdom of Swaziland;

d) Chapter 4 elaborates on the health investments needed to ensure provision of the services outlined in chapter 3;

e) Chapter 5 focuses on the financing measures that ensure progress towards the attainment of universal access;

f) Chapter 6 highlights the key implementation arrangements that the sector will use to ensure the attainment of targets for the health services and investments; and

g) Chapter 7 defines the monitoring/evaluation process for ensuring that NHSSP II implementation proceeds as planned.

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