Capacity Project/Ethiopia staff provided performance improvement and supportive supervision training to 315 health workers, heads of health centers and local health officials in nine regional locations, from November 13, 2008 to January 6, 2009, as part of the Project’s expansion of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and antenatal care services.

Project staff has adapted and strengthened performance improvement and supportive supervision approaches introduced in Ethiopia through the previous USAID global PRIME II and bilateral PMTCT projects. Trainees gained an understanding of the purpose behind supportive supervision and practiced it in health centers using checklists developed for PMTCT, mothers’ support groups and other HIV programs.

Participants strengthened their supervision practices; incorporated a problem-solving, results-oriented approach to improving performance and service delivery at the individual and institutional levels; and developed action plans, such as obtaining needed supplies and providing training to prevent staff attrition. Participants recommended expanding this training style to other clinical services in health centers.

January 2009