Centre for Economic Governance and AIDS in Africa- CEGAA

Context

CEGAA has been involved in community monitoring for the past two years in two districts belonging to two different provinces.  Community monitoring around, health, HIV/AIDS and TB is implemented in partnership with the Treatment Action Campaign. Budget monitoring is being replicated at four additional districts.

Website
www.cegaa.org
Area of Work
South Africa
Contact Person
Nhlanhla Ndlovu

Approaches to implementing Community monitoring/accountability

The organization’s approach to community monitoring can be summed up as:
  • Day to day monitoring of health care provision of service delivery level
  • Access to patients and asking questions about their experiences of accessing health care at their local health facilities
  • Conducting district analyses on policy and budgets and using the information to empower community level stakeholders for follow-up monitoring at community level
  • Conducting scientific research processes to identify challenges and achievements in service delivery and to generate good evidence for advocacy.
  • Using community structures such as local government councils, traditional leaderships, and community development committees to discuss community concerns around service delivery and to devise and implement plans of action.
  • Different CSOs have different networks that help in achieving advocacy goals. So it is important to realize that there are various players in the field and that we could reach out to them to give our advocacy more voice.
  • Existing relationships with local leadership structures also help facilitate the monitoring. Most of all, the good track record of thorough consultations and in depth analyses give the monitoring team credibility and recognition.

Lessons and Results

  • Community engagement have facilitated community members interests in budget issues relating to health care provision.
  • Health workers have seen the benefits of this in relation to better understanding of community needs as well as their own needs.
  • Citizens are empowered with skills to monitor and demand answers, and are involved in researching issues impacting on service delivery in their community.
  • Trust has improved dramatically especially as both citizens and officers/organisations have a common understanding of issues and how they should be resolved.