ISSN 2348-1218 (print) International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations ISSN 2348-1226 (online) Vol. 9, Issue 2, pp: (26-32), Month: April - June 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
An Evaluation of the Contraceptive Logistics Management Information System as a Programme Dr. Tazhmoye V. Crawford Jamaica National Family Planning Board
Abstract: The evaluation of any programme, using the appropriate model is likely to foster a wealth of information that could possibly provide policy-programme direction, and at the same time, strengthen research-policy interface. The aim of this paper is to ascertain the extent to which the Contraceptive Logistics Management Information System (CLMIS) as a programme in Jamaica’s primary care public health sector, bears relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. These factors are representative of the aforementioned six principles governing the Organization for Economic Cooperation and developmentDevelopment Assistance Committee Model (OECD-DAC). A qualitative approach was taken in obtaining the necessary information from the health care professionals across the fourteen (14) parishes of Jamaica. This approach was used owing to its naturalistic inquiry for clear interpretation. The two-page, 10-item instrument, which was used to collect the information, abided within the ambit of the aforementioned principles of the Evaluation Model, and the said information was recorded by parish. The analysis was done via theme triangulation according to each of the six evaluation principles/criteria. The unit of analysis was 72 health care providers. Majority of the participants responded to each question within the affirmative, but with explained limitations in some instances, as outlined in the results of this paper. The evaluation evidenced that CLMIS as a programme, for the most part, has been deemed favourable to four out of the six principles governing the OECDDAC Model. Keywords: Family Planning, Evaluation, Contraceptive Logistics Management Information System.
1. INTRODUCTION Governed by the Family Planning Act of Parliament of Jamaica, 1970, the National Family Planning Board (NFPB) has the national responsibility to fulfill specific sexual and reproductive health-related obligations as part of its population planning and development regime. This enables the continued strengthening of the CLMIS through capacity building (in Contraceptive Forecasting Methodologies, Monitoring and Evaluation, Qualitative and Quantitative Reporting) of key health care providers; the conducting of CLMIS surveys biennially since 2013, and the monitoring of Family Planning clinic records and supplies. With the aforementioned in place, how may one be able to accurately determine the true success of the CLMIS, if it is not evaluated as a programme? This question spurred the initiative, to evaluate the CLMIS as a progamme for the first time conducted over the period January to March, 2021, and involved Senior Public Health Nurses (4) and Midwives (68). The OECD-DAC Evaluation Model was considered prudent for this exercise, given its nature and governing principles. This, by no means intended to discount the routine quarterly clinic monitoring, which over the years, has been the „watchdog‟ for enabling the robust strengthening of the CLMIS, with a view to recording, reporting, inventory management control, forecasting measures, ordering procedures, storage and other conditions. However, from a scholarly standpoint, one may argue that often-times, an evaluation tend to provide more detail or depth than that which monitoring may provide. This paper delineates the literature review; captures the way the evaluation was conducted; noted the results that emanated from the exercise; aired the various arguments between the literature and the findings; then drew the relevant conclusions, and made recommendations accordingly.
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