Haydom Lutheran Hospital: final project review

Haydom Lutheran Hospital (HLH) is a first level referral hospital located in Tanzania. It has been receiving substantial financial support from the Norwegian government through a Block Grant. This report is the final project review of the Block Grant for the period 2006-2009.

Most of the development projects that have been administered through HLH fall within the categories of food security, clean water, famine relief, agricultural projects, boreholes and dams, transport infrastructure and capacity building. However, the paper indicates that the economic benefits are more uncertain and probably not very large. There are also associated costs that need to be covered.

Among the main recommendations of the review are that the hospital should:

• not further expand its service package in ways that will increase the demand on existing resources
• develop a policy regarding the provision of services beyond what is provided elsewhere in the Tanzanian health system
• ensure that the prices of drugs and tests are not lower than in government facilities
• develop a database for improved human resource management
• develop a system for periodically assessment of the income and expenditure profiles of the income generating assets of the hospital; the assessment should focus both on the potential for increasing the incomes as well as on the possibilities for outsourcing of services
• involve the government of Tanzania in the plans of developing HLH into a training hospital and try to build a mutual understanding about increased local responsibility for the future funding of the hospital
• try to implement “the teaching hospital concept”, which promises considerable benefits in terms of increased availability of specialists at HLH
• consider research collaboration, which offers another potential pool of resources.