Human resource planning and health services delivery in Wakiso district in Uganda

Abstract

This study examined the effect of Human resource planning on health services delivery in health centres in wakiso district. The study specifically explored the effect of human resource needs assessment, acquisition and coordination on health services delivery. A total of 98 respondents. including 20 key informants and 78 employees, participated in the study. Primary data was obtained using a structured questionnaire and a structured interview guide. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential quantitative as well as qualitative methods. The findings have revealed that; a poor human resource planning culture exists in health centres in Wakiso district. Human resource needs assessment, acquisition and coordination are not given the emphasis they deserve. Human resource planning was more centralised and done at the district. Officers at the health centres did not participate in human resource planning. As a result, the human resource needs of the health centres were not accurately known and were hence not meet. Officers at the health centres were not involved in human resource planning, yet they had better knowledge of resource needs and this resulted into right employees not being are hired. There was almost no human resource acquisition and coordination at the health centres. This " as partly because these functions were being done at the district level and also officers at the centres did not have human resource planning skills. The study recommends that; Districts should implement a participatory human resource planning model. Officers at the health centres should be given opportunity to actively get involved in human resource planning. A bottom - up approach to human resource planning could be more appropriate. since the officers at the health centres had better knowledge of the real human resources needs of their institutions. There is need to equip officers in charge of health centres with human resource planning skills, so as to effectively participate in this activity. Human resource planning should be made a yearly activity in all health centres. Health centres need professional human resource officers to oversee the activity of human resource planning.