Guide for conducting national and subnational programme reviews for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health

Book excerpt: A programme review for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (MNCAH) is a process for assessing mid- or end-term country progress in improving the health of women, newborns, children and adolescents. A programme review is conducted at the national or subnational level as part of the regular MNCAH programme planning and implementation cycle. The purpose of this guide is to assist countries in planning and facilitating an integrated review of MNCAH programmes. The guide provides a recommended approach for conducting MNCAH programme reviews, however, it is not intended to be prescriptive, and the processes should be adapted to suit the needs of a country or programme. A facilitator’s guide and an MNCAH programme review data tool complement the guide. These resources help in assessing the results that MNCAH programmes have achieved, identifying gaps in intervention implementation, and providing recommendations and solutions to improve the health status of women, newborns, children and adolescents. The main audience for the guide includes: - national and subnational programme managers and officers from MNCAH involved in planning, implementing and monitoring programmes within a ministry of health; - programme managers and officers in related programmes in a ministry of health or other ministry; - nongovernmental, private-sector and international partners involved in planning, implementing and funding MNCAH programmes.