In the January 8 issue of Human Resources for Health, an article by MSH describes the effectiveness of the Virtual Leadership Development Program (VLDP) for human resources managers in the health sector.

The Capacity Project and the Leadership, Management and Sustainability Program adapted an earlier version of the VLDP to help HR managers identify and address HR challenges in ministries of health and other public sector and nongovernmental organizations.The Capacity Project co-facilitated and supported the two VLDPs for teams of HR managers from 11 African countries, from 2006 to 2007. Follow-up interviews revealed that teams were implementing their VLDP action plans and applying the leadership and management tools they learned.

For example, the Uganda Protestant and Catholic Medical Bureaus used data-driven decision-making to develop and implement retention strategies; the Christian Health Association of Malawi installed solar energy systems to recruit personnel to remote facilities; and Developing Human Resources for Health in Uganda established four skills laboratories in a national referral hospital and a school of nursing and identified and trained professional mentors.

January 2009