3.3.8  Prepare action plans and schedules

You now need to develop a practical action plan with respect to the objectives you have set (Figure 3.5). The following steps should help you do this. Box 3.3 shows an example of how the plan can be stated.

Figure 3.5  Your action plans can be pasted on the wall of the Health Post so everyone knows what you hope to achieve. (Photo: Tom Heller)

Box 3.3  Hygiene and sanitation plan

The problemVillage J has no access to safe water and there is a high rate of neonatal death from diarrhoea. The community is difficult to reach because of poor roads.
ObjectiveTo provide health education on hygiene and sanitation to 75% of mothers at household level.
Strategy and activitiesThe work is to be done by model households. The strategy is to train a Health Extension Practitioner who will then train the model households.
ResourcesHealth Extension Practitioner X will deliver refresher training on hygiene and sanitation to households.
OrganisationThe training of model households will take place in the village hall.
ControlEach model household will keep a simple record of the number of women reached.
  • Look at the plan in Box 3.3. How will you know if a plan has been effective?

  • If lots of mothers are taught about hygiene and sanitation the plan could be considered to be effective. But the real test will be if there are fewer deaths from diarrhoea in the future.

3.3.7  Identify the resources

3.3.9  Monitoring