The Role of Council Health Management Team in the Improvement of Health Services Quality: The Case of Kinondoni and Ilala Municipalities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

To date, there are no many systematic studies that determine the role of participatory organs in improving the provision of quality health services despite the fact that it is now more than two decades since Tanzania initiated decentralization. In recognition of this gap, and given the observed public concerns about the quality of health services provision, this study sought to understand and address the role of council health management teams (CHMTs) in improving the provision of quality health care in the country using the study cases of two municipalities of Dar es Salaam, i.e., Kinondoni and Ilala. The study employed a triangulation of methods—quantitative, qualitative and documentary reviews—to collect data. The findings show that factors behind the declining provision of quality health services included the shortage of human resources, poor working equipment, lack of commitment on the part of members of the CHMT, lack of effective CHMTs’ supervision, as well as the lack of good networking and collaboration with other stakeholders. The study recommends that policy makers and planners in the health sector and local government authorities should ensure that CHMTs have quality assurance as their primary goal. Also, CHMT members should be held accountable for poor quality of services in their respective areas. In addition, local government authorities should allocate adequate resources for participatory organs to execute their functions as well as improving working conditions and motivation for health professionals.