Health planning in Malaysia: a case study of the National Strategic Plan Ending Aids 2016-2030 (NSPEA)

• Main Authors: Wan, Arinah Deh Sze, Che Abdullah, Azreena, Esahak, Azreena, Nadzari, Ezy Eriyani, Nordin, Fairuz Nadiah, Subbarao, Gunenthira Rao, Zainal Abidin, Muhammad 'Adil, B. Z., Huda, I., Suriani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Community Health Society Malaysia (CHSM) 2016
• Subjects: RA Public aspects of medicine
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/79326/1/302-1276-1-PB.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/79326/; http://publichealthmy.org/ejournal/ojs2/index.php/ijphcs/article/view/302/256

Introduction: Health planning is an essential part of healthcare system whereby policies will be translated into actions. There are many health planning theories that can be used which deal with the complexity of data and addressing the questions within the process. This paper reviewed the National Strategic Plan Ending AIDS 2016-2030 (NSPEA 2016-2030) which is one of the health planning in Malaysia. Methodology: A literature review was conducted through online database and related AIDS health planning documents in Malaysia were identified and reviewed. World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations were used as a reference tools to discuss the health planning process. Strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis was done as part of the discussion process. Recommendations are based on literature reviews and health planning documents of other countries. Result: The Malaysia Health Planning Framework consists of seven (7) processes which are situational analysis, goal setting, prioritisation, strategy, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. There are various approaches being used. Rational planning used in situational analysis as a tool to identify the disease burden. Incremental planning also applied where all previous performances especially from AIDS National Strategic Plan (NSP) was considered in the making of the new strategies and budgeting. Meanwhile other process was based on selected alternatives which fits into mixed-scanning approach. Conclusion: From this case study, it can be identified that the health planning process and practices in NSPEA 2016-2030 comprises of seven (7) steps. It can be concluded that AIDS health planning in Malaysia mostly adopting the mixed-scanning planning approach. However, there are some steps and area of planning which can be benefited by adopting mixed-scanning planning.