Publication
Background
The Wok Bung Wantaim (WBW) strategy was a health system strengthening intervention implemented in Hela Province and Southern Highlands Province (SHP) of Papua New Guinea (PNG). It was initiated by the Oil Search Foundation (OSF) and co-funded by the Government of PNG (GoPNG), Government of Australia, and OSF. DFAT’s grant allocation was initially AUD 7.4 million, but this was reduced to AUD 4.6 million in 2019. The grant was originally managed as part of the PNG Partnership Fund (PPF), and more recently by the PNG–Australia Transition to Health (PATH) program. The project ended on 30 June 2021.
WBW’s goal was ultimately to improve frontline health services by championing a partnership approach, to increase health service utilisation and improve health outcomes. WBW sought to: 1) improve coordination between PNG Government at the national, provincial, and district levels; 2) support effective health financing; 3) improve quality service delivery; and 4) increase community engagement in health service planning and governance.
Evaluation Purpose and Methodology
The Australian High Commission (AHC) in PNG commissioned an independent evaluation of WBW, to assess the effectiveness of the strategy, document lessons learned, and consider the transferability of the strategy to other provinces. The evaluation was undertaken between April and September 2021.The evaluation methods included a document review, interviews with 44 stakeholders, quantitative assessment of the impact on health service utilisation and outcomes, and case studies.
Documents
- Evaluation of Wok Bung Wantaim Strategy [DOCX 1.7 MB]
- Evaluation of Wok Bung Wantaim Strategy [PDF 1.8 MB]