COLLABORATION AND

NETWORKING
STUDENT TEACHER
C K.SIMANGO
INTRODUCTION
• The Ministry of Health (MOH) is responsible for policy guidance
and strategic planning.
• It aims at providing cost effective and quality health care as
close to the family as possible.
• It has the responsibility of resource mobilization for the health
sector, through local and international co-operating partners.
• It also collaborate with other sectors to provide quality health
services.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lecture students should be able to acquire knowledge
on collaboration and networking.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lecture students should be able to:
1. Define key terms
2. Define collaboration.
3. Describe partners for health and their contribution in Zambia.
4. State importance of interpectoral collaboration.
5. Outline the networking, advocacy and partnership for health.
DEFINITION
COLLABORATION
• Is a mode of interaction that occurs among and between
clinicians during the delivery of care, it entails working in a joint
intellectual effort, i.e. team work and partnership.
• Is an interpersonal process in which two or more individuals
make a commitment to interact constructively to solve problems
and accomplish identified goals, purposes or outcomes.
• Individuals recognise and articulate the shared values that
make this commitment possible.
PARTNERS FOR HEALTH AND THEIR
CONTRIBUTION IN ZAMBIA

LOCAL PARTNERS
• Ministry of Education: It collaborates with Ministry of Health in
dissemination of information to pupils and students.
• Pupils and students are taught on common health problems and
how to prevent them.
• Teachers are sensitized on health issues through workshops
and seminars.
• Ministry of Agriculture: Teach good farming methods; involve
community in nutritional surveillance and food security.
• Ministry of Information and Broad Casting Services:
Disseminates health information through print media
(newspapers) and electronic media such as radio and TV.
• Ministry of Community and social Development: Involved in
various projects, like caring for the vulnerable, destitute, street
kids etc.
• Social welfare officers are members of the primary health care
committees.
Ministry of Works and Supply:
• Construct health institutions and staff accommodation, sinking
bore holes in rural areas.
Ministry of Local Government and House.
• Disseminates information or sanitation and also collects
garbage and disposes it.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

• WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO): Assists in human

resource development, health systems research, malaria
control, expanded program for immunization and provision of
vaccines and emergency drugs.
• UNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND (UNICEF): Responsible
for immunization programs, maternal and child health, nutrition,
HIV/AIDS control, PHC strengthening and control of diarrheal
diseases.
• U.S AGENCYFOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(USAID): Responsible for family planning programs, HIV/AIDS
control and child survival programs.
• DANISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
(DANIDA): Responsible for quality assurance, district and
provincial capacity building and management of information
system.
• JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA):
Assist in the provision of drugs and vehicles to different institutions
including ministry of health.
• SIDA: Provide essential drugs, involved in reproductive health,
rehabilitation of rural health centers, family planning and
management.
• CARE INTERNATIONAL: Food security, family planning, road
maintenance and supply of treated mosquito nets.
• WORLD VISION: Builds clinics, HIV counseling, training
community health workers, etc.
INTERSECTORAL COLLABORATION

Intersectoral Collaboration ­is a mutualy beneficial and well

defined relationship entred into by two or more organisations to
achieve common goals.(Stanhope and Lancaster, 2004)
• Refers to the act of working jointly with other sectors in the
provision of health care services.
• Primary Health Care is an Integral part of the social economic
process.
• It rests on proper co-ordination at all levels between health and
other sectors concerned.
• Health cannot be attained by the health sector alone.
• Partners support in terms of human resource, technical
support, logistic support and supplies like stationary, transport,
drugs, money, equipment, etc.
• Partners provide onspot supportive supervision e.g. through
workshops.
• Economic developments, antipoverty measures, food
production, water sanitation, housing, environmental production
and education contribute to health and have the same goal of
human development.
• Health system support include facilities for consultation in health
problems, referrals of patients to local and more specialized
health institutions, provision of supportive supervision.
IMPORTANCE OF INTERSECTORAL COLLABORATION

• Partners support in terms of human resource, technical

support, logistic support and supplies like stationary,
transport, drugs, money, equipment , etc.
• Partners provide onspot supportive supervision e.g. through
workshops.
• Partners provide better decisions from a wide range of
opinions from the stakeholders.
•
• Partners provide guidance and consultation on the way certain
projects are supposed to be undertaken e.g. construction of a
protected well by District Water and Sanitation Health Education
(D-WASHE)
• Partner’s activities or projects are sustained because
specialisation and expertise is used and there is full ownership
by the community.
PROCESS OF COLLABORATION
Awareness makes a conscious entry into a group process by
focusing on goals of convening together, generate a definition
of collaborative process and what it means to members.
Tentative exploration and mutual acknowledgement
Exploration disclose professional skills for the desired process,
disclose area where contributions cannot be made, disclose
• values reflecting priorities identify roles and disclose personal
values, including time, energy interest and resources. Mutual
acknowledgement; clarify each members.
• Potential contributions, verify the group’s strengths and areas
needing consultation, clarify members work style, organizational
support and barriers to collaborative efforts.
Trust building Determine the degree to which reliance on others
can be achieved, examine congruency between words and
behaviours, set interdependent goals, and develop tolerance for
ambiguity.
Collegiality Define the relationships of members with each other,
define the responsibilities and tasks of each, define entrance
and exit conditions.
Consensus, Determine the issues for which consensus is
required, determine the processes used for clarifying and
decision making to consensus, determine the process for re-
evaluation for consensus outcome.
Commitment Realise the physical emotional and material actions
directed toward the goal; clarify procedures for re-evaluating
commitment in light of goal demands and group standards for
deviance.
ROLE OF A NURSE AS A
COLLABORATOR
Nurse needs the following characteristics
• Common Purpose. Collaboration involves a bond, a union and
a degree of client care that goes beyond a single approach to
care. Also works independently with other team members and
combine skills
• Clinical Competence. Requires clinical competency to
collaborate with other professionals and colleagues and
contribute effectively
• Interpersonal Competence. Have the ability to communicate
effectively with colleagues in a variety of situations such as
routine interaction, disagreements, value, conflict, stress
• Humour. It serves to decrease defensiveness, invite openness,
relieve tension and deflect anger as it sets the tone for trust and
acceptance and resolves difficult situations among colleagues
• Valuing and respecting of diverse, complementary
knowledge. There is need to respect others’ practice and
knowledge, ideas and actions as well as personal belief
• Nurse needs to collaborate with other members of the health
care team, governmental and non governmental organisations
 NETWORKING, ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP FOR
HEALTH

Definition of terms
• Advocacy: Active support of an idea or cause etc.; especially
the act of pleading or arguing for something on behalf of some
one.
• In Health, it is the process of promoting patient's rights of se1f-
determination.
• An advocator is someone who speaks on behalf of those who,
for what ever reason, cannot speak for themselves.
• Networking: This refers to active involvement and co-
ordination between District Health Management Team, National
Health Care Surveys, NGOS, Community Based Distributors,
and maintaining dialogue on community health programs.
• The Zambian government acknowledges the importance of
donor support for the development and funding for the
implementation of health reforms and it net works with these
partners to enhance support.
In addition the Ministry of Health has a role of advocacy when it
mediates for resource mobilization for health projects in health
institutions.
PARTNERSHIP FOR HEALTH

• The objective of the Ministry of Health is to strengthen

partnerships through collaboration between autonomous boards
of management, health centers, committees, communities,
traditional health practitioners, NGOs, the private sector and
donors to bring health care as close to the family as possible,
thus creating health supportive environments and communities.
• Thus the formation of partnership between the health sector
and other stakeholders is a basic truth of the Health Reforms.
• Under the reforms, partnerships have been formed in each
district at all service levels between autonomous boards of
management, health centers committees with communities,
committees, traditional health sector, NGOs, private sector and
donors.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IN
HEALTH
• Community participation is the leading Principle of Primary
Health Care.
• Health Reforms starts with community dialogue on health
problems and services offered by health care providers.
• This is followed by Social Mobilization.
• Social Mobilization is the process of motivating members of the
community to actively participate in community health
programs.
The following are some of the sectors that collaborate with
Ministry of Health in spearheading PHC activities in
communities:
1. LOCAL COMMUNITY
These are very important partners in intersectoral collaboration
because without them programmes cannot take off as they are
the ones that know their problems and solutions.
• Gradually, this process move to issues of community
participation in management of primary health care and
communities start accepting ownership and control over the
factors affecting their health.
• Communities are incorporated in all health activities so that
they develop a sense of ownership.
• For example in the construction of a mother’s shelter, the
community members will collaborate with health centre staff to
provide local raw materials i.e. sand soil for building, etc
ZAMBIA PREVENTION CARE AND TREATMENT (ZCPT)
•ZCPT collaborates with MOH in construction and rehabilitation of
infrastructure by identifying areas of need with the District Health Office
(DHO).They also provide Information Education and Communication
through trained, lay counsellors, drama and through brochures.
• They procure and supply HIV testing kits, stationary and other
logistics to accredited ART centres and in turn, MOH through its
health workers will record the logistics and report monthly or
quarterly as they also facilitate training of health workers and
community health volunteers in psychosocial counselling,
HAART adherence and referral.
• MOH provide human resource for training e.g. from clinics,
communities or hospitals.
MASS MEDIA
• The mass media is able to influence our lives and manner in
which we see things surrounding us. Public Address System
(PAS), articles, newspapers, internet, radio and television.
• MOH in turn provides the media with fuel, vehicles and
allowances in order for the activities to take off.
• This health information affects the audiences’ attitude,
knowledge and behaviour in relation to health through the
media.
SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HEALTH
These supplement government’s efforts through MOH by
providing family planning options such as hormonal methods
(oral contraceptives, Injectable, implants- Jadelle), female and
male condoms to clients so that they can have well spaced
children whom they can care for adequately to ensure they stay
healthy.
• SFH promotes safe drinking water by supplying chlorine
through District Health Office to the (Health Centre) HCs
where clients it access at an affordable price.
• STIs/HIV prevention through supply of IEC materials and
distribution of both female and male condoms.
• Prevention of Malaria by supplying free Insecticide Treated
bed Nets to high risk groups e.g. antenatal mothers and
children under the age of 5 years as malaria is one of the
leading causes of morbidity and mortality rates.
UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND AGENCY (UNFPA)

• UNFPA promotes staff development through sponsorships for

further education e.g. nurses who are converting and those
doing specialities such as midwifery. These collaborate with
MOH in order to attain Millennium Goal number 5
• It also conducts workshops for health and community
volunteers on MCH activities e.g. conducting clean deliveries,
weighing of children and filling of the under five card.
• Provides transport to facilitate MCH activities e.g. donate
land cruisers for referrals and outreach activities.
. WORLD VISION
They help in training of TBAs and HBCs as these add up to
skilled staff to offer Mother Child and Health activities and
Primary Healthcare. Provision of food supplements for
TB/HIV/AIDS patients to supplement on their nutritional status
Sponsor health staff for further education an example of student
nurses at Mansa School of Nursing in Luapula province.
These are bonded according to the years they have sponsored
them and this in turn helps in staff retention.
They also provide farming inputs such as seed and fertilizer to
promote food security and prevent malnutrition.
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HOUSING

• Public health inspectors work hand in hand with Environmental

Health Officers by ensuring safe supply of water and good
sanitation to communities. This helps reduce on diarrhoeal
diseases such as cholera.
• Inspection of infrastructure if it’s conducive for human
habitation e.g. housing. Inspection of food stuffs and liquor for,
licence, quality, expiry date, packaging and ingredients. Food
handler’s health licences are also inspected especially in
butcheries, restaurants etc.
MINISRY OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES

• Food security is enhanced by extension officers teaching

communities about farming especially conservation farming
which is cheaper than the use of fertilizer. Vaccination of
animals and birds such as chickens, goats, cows etc.
• As these provide families with proteins in their diet and they
can as well sell them for income. Conducting of nutrition
education on Trials of Improved Practices (TIPS) where locally
grown foods are used for cooking demonstrations.
•
They provide consultancy on food production and storage, first
aid instructions when someone ingests the chemicals
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Educational programmes at policy level such as HIV/AID/STIs,
reproductive health, water and sanitation, etc are incorporated
in the school curriculum so that children have knowledge and
this can be applied in their day to day life.
• School health and Nutrition (SHN) is done at health centre level
screening for any illnesses and treatment where possible is
given or referred to the clinic or hospital. Immunisations like TT
to women of child bearing age, Bacilli Calmette Guerin (BCG) is
given to grade ones without a post immunisation BCG scar.
• Child to child programmes such as peer education can be done
through drama, poetry, debate, songs, and dances etc on health
issues Health workers support HIV/AIDS prevention by
facilitating formation and strengthening of Anti AIDS clubs,
supply them with condoms and arrange for video show such as the
transmission of STIs.
• Health workers support HIV/AIDS prevention by facilitating formation
and strengthening of Anti AIDS clubs, supply them with condoms and
arrange for video shows.
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT

• Youth Health Care Scheme is an arrangement made among the

school, social welfare and community development and the
health facility so that school pupils can easily access health
services.
• They also spearhead social mobilisation in forming community
clubs or organisations to work towards better health through
cooking demonstrations, sports competitions, and formation of
neighbourhood health committees.
• They also offer community support e.g. paying school fees,
nutritional support and transport money to the vulnerable.
• MOH and MOE can collaborate with social welfare and community
development to assist such people with needs by writing letters to
them.
MERITS OF INTERSECTORAL
COLLABORATION
• It helps avoid service duplicationas as partners share
responbilities with regard to their areas of interest and
resources can be allocated appropirately for other activities.
• It helps to meet most of the health needs of the community that
MoH alone can not address adequately by supplementing
efforts from other stakeholders.
• It ensures better and effective use of resources as each partner
is responsible for its agreed interest of activities. i.e there is
good monitoring and accountability.
• Public is given the same but not conflicting messages critical
matters/issues of health. For example use of condoms may not
be supported by Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) but other
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) like Society For
family Health may support. As a result, the root causes of ill
health can be tackled, not just the symptoms.
• A larger population is covered effectively as partners integrate
and coordinate the activities.
DISADVANTAGES OF
INTERSECTORAL COLLABORATION
• Create conflicts of interest and disequilibrium among
participating agencies if not well planned and implemented. This
can result in the work and contributions of partners not being
equally valued as some partners feel they are more important
than others.
• There can be power struggles over control for information,
access to important networks, groups that intend to serve, and
sources of funding.
Collaboration may turn out to be more expensive in terms of time,
manpower and resources while other partners cultural,
linguistic, environmental or geographic constraints unique to the
stake holders which can interfere with the successful
implementation of the collaborative process.

•
• Sometimes there may be resource inadequacy or the
inequitable distributions of resources can which impede
collaboration, well intended plans and programs. For example,
there are more health facilities with better staffing levels in
urban areas than in rural areas.
•  Intersectoral collaboration is a vey important aspect which
needs to be encompassed if service delivey is to reach to the
remotest and to the vulnerable people of the community.
Applying this principle of PHC helps tro meet the health needs
of the majority of the population to be served
• Applying this principle of PHC helps tro meet the health needs
of the majority of the population to be served. Health can be
achieved better through proper coodinatio at all levels between
health and all other sectors concerned.
• The ministry of health alone cannot manage to provide health
services to all the people but need the help of other cooperating
partners.
• As community health nurses, we have a task of working as
mediators between the community we serve and the
cooperating partners to help the community to identify health
problems they have as well as managing them.
CONCLUSION
• The Ministry of Health (MOH) is responsible for policy guidance
and strategic planning.
• It aims at providing cost effective and quality health care as
close to the family as possible.
• It has the responsibility of resource mobilization for the health
sector, through local and international co-operating partners.
Through collaboration and networking, intersectoral cooperation
is done through local and international supporters for all the
planned activities to be done throughout the country through
ministry of healthy acting as the advocator.
Assignment
• Discuss four international partners who collaborate with the Ministry
of Health in Zambia. Use Times New Romans 12, line spacing 1.5
• To be submitted on Friday 22nd july through my WhatsApp page, time
18.00 hrs .

• Note this will be marked.

• Stanhope .M, Lancanster J, (2004), Community Public Health
Nursing, 6th ed. Mosby, U.S.A.
• Stanhope .M, Lancanster J, (1996), Community Health
Nursing, promoting health of aggregates, famlies and
individuals, 4th ed. Mosby, U.S.A. MOH (1991) Implementing
Primary Health Care Lusaka, Zambia.
• WHO (1994) Community Involvement in Health Development:
Challenging Health Services, Report of the WHO study.
• WHO/UNICEF (1978) Alma ata. Primary Health Care. Report of
the International Conference on Primary Health Care.