The role of health unit management committees in health service delivery: a case study of Moroto regional referral hospital, Moroto district
Abstract
The study investigated the role of health unit management committees in health service
delivery, specifically focusing on Moroto regional referral hospital in Moroto district. The
study was guided by the following objectives; to find out the actual roles performed by Moroto
regional referral hospital HUMC, to document the facilitating factors for HUMC in performing
its roles in Moroto regional referral hospital, to find out the challenges faced by HUMC in
executing its roles at Moroto regional referral hospital and finally, to make suggestions on how
the HUMC in Moroto regional referral hospital can improve on execution of its role. The study
adopted a qualitative case study design to enable the researcher get rich data from a small
number of study participants. Thus, the researcher sought to explore issues from the perspective
of the study participants, qualitative methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation was
adopted. This involved detailed discussions with HUMC members, hospital management staff,
hospital user’s thematic analysis of the observed data and presentation of narratives and
quotations. Focus group discussion guide, key informant interview guide were the major tools
used for data collection.
Further, thematic content analysis method was used for data analysis. The main findings of the
study revealed that the HUMC acts as linkage between community and health service providers
through information exchange by bringing together various stake holders on board, training
and adequate funding as well as team work have played an important role in facilitating the
health unit management committees at Moroto regional referral hospital. The study also
indicated challenges affecting the HUMC at Moroto regional referral hospital range from
individual, community and government related with corruption, and lack of adequate financial
resources and rudeness of staff greatly affected the provision of quality healthcare services to
the public in relation to HUMC. Furthermore, the study recommends that training and
sensitization, timely delivery of health equipment’s and drugs and building institutional
frameworks, in addition to lobbying for adequate funds for investment in the health sector can
solve the challenges affecting the HUMCs at Moroto regional referral hospital and the country
at large.