health planning steps

2.  Health planning and healthcare development has been the
priority of Central Government over the years. It took 35
years after Independence for the government to make a
health policy statement in 1982-83. This policy statement
came after 1978 Alma Ata Declaration. Before this policy
there was district policy and strategy for the health sector.
The central government through the Council of Health and
Family Welfare and various committee recommendations
has shapes health policy and planning in India.

3.  Planning is a process of organizing decisions and
actions to achieve particular ends, set within a policy
(WHO 1988).
 Health planning is a systematic process and involves
logical decision making at each step of its process.

4.  Health planning involves a series of systematic steps to design,
implement, and manage strategies and policies aimed at
improving the health and well-being of a population. Here are
the typical steps involved in health planning:
 Analyzing health needs/health problems
 Establishing priorities
 Setting goals and objectives
 Formulating Community Health Action Plan
 Put into action
 Monitoring
 Evaluation

5. Analyzing Health Needs
 Identify the health needs of the population through data collection,
surveys, and research. Understand the demographic profile, prevalent
diseases, health risks, and social determinants of health.
 This is the first step of planning process. In this step community
health nurse determines the existing health problem of a given area.
She will try to find out the factors associated with problems and the
resultant consequences. The various aspects to be studied include:
 Age, Sex and population under diseased condition
 Morbidity and Mortality due to underline problem
 Distribution pattern of disease in that area
 Nearby medical facility, trained staff, new advance technology and
technical man power
 Community awareness about underline problem
 There underlying factors and consequences help to determine needs
and priorities. Problem analysis helps make specific diagnosis which
becomes the basis of setting goals and objectives and formulating
Community Health action plan.

6. Establishing Priorities
 It is the ranking of the problem on the basis of
predetermined criteria.
 It is important due to limited resources so that most
dangerous situation is to be handled firstly.
 For this community health nurse has to find out firstly
the resources available to deal with the problems.
What is the nature of problem impact and
consequences of the problems should be decided
prior. Then criteria to solve it is decided by the team.

7. Setting Goals and Objectives
 Objectives helps in measuring and assessing the work
undertaken.
 It helps the community to understand about what is
happening and what is expected of them
 The goal and objectives must be acceptable to them
 Goals must be SMART

8. Formulating Community Health
Action Plans
 The interventions are identified based on the objectives
 Assess available resources, including financial, human and
infrastructure resources
 Develop evidence based strategies and policies to address
the identified health needs

9. implementation
 Put the strategies and policies into action
 This involves establishing health care facilities,
training health care workers initiating heath
promotion activities and delivering preventive and
curative services

10. Monitoring
 Continuously monitor the progress of program
implementation.
 Evaluate whether the programs are achieving the
intended outcomes and meeting the established
objectives.
 Keep the record of all activities based on observation
and give necessary feedback on Continuous basis.


11. Evaluation
 It is a process of ascertaining the effectiveness of something or some
organized activity or program in relation to some se standards and criteria.
 Outcome measurements with the objectives help in knowing how far the
program process had done. Any program planning must have an in-built
evaluation system.
 It helps take remedial measures and appropriate decisions throughout the
community health proceess.
 Collect and analyze relevant data on health indicators service utilization,
and outcomes.
 This data helps in measuring the effectiveness of interventions and
identifying areas for improvement.

12.  Policy Review and Revision:
 Regularly review and update policies and strategies to align
with evolving health needs and emerging research findings
 Continuous Improvement
 Continuously seek opportunities to enhance the quality and
effectiveness of health programs through learning from
experiences and adopting best practices.
 Research and Innovation
 Encourage research and innovation in healthcare delivery.
technology, and treatment methods to enhance the effectiveness
and efficiency of health interventions.
 Crisis Preparedness
 Plan for contingencies and potential health crises, ensuring
there are mechanisms in place to respond effectively to
emergencies.

13.  Health planning is an iterative process that requires
collaboration, flexibility, and a commitment to improving
the health and well-being of a population. By following
these steps. planners can create well-structured and
evidence-based health programs that make a positive
impact on the communities they serve