Factors Affecting Performance of HIV/AIDS Programs In Kenya the Case of Eastern Deanery AIDS Relief Program

A Project Report by Waithaka Wilson Mbogo Submitted to the School of Business,USIU-A in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)The main objective of the study was to determine the factors that affect the performance of HIV/AIDS programs in Kenya. The study was guided by the following questions; what are the strategic issues that affect the performance of HIV/AIDS programs, how do donor influence the performance of HIV/AIDS programs and how characteristics and behavior of people living with HIV affect the performance if HIV/AIDS program. The study used descriptive survey design. The target population comprised the staff of Eastern Deanery AIDS Relief program located in Nairobi. Fifty percent were taken as the sample; they were stratified into two different categories; Clinical staff and project management staff. This was done to ensure that the sampling frame is complete and relevant for the attainment of the study objective. The study collected primary data using questionnaires. The descriptive statistical tools helped in describing the data and determining the respondents’ degree of agreement with the various statements under each objective. The researcher analyzed the data using frequencies, percentages, correlation and regression. The study found out that majority of 66 percent of the respondents could not confirm their knowledge on programs strategic plan or not, Majority, 52 percent of the respondents agreed that they are taken for adequate trainings on project management and only 10 percent agreed that they consistently carry out consistent customer satisfaction surveys with 87 percent reporting not political interference is experienced in the program. On donor influence on program performance, 83 percent of the respondents said that the recipient governments treat received funds as substitute and not as supplement to the national budget while majority of the respondents, 79 percent agreed that donors use monitoring and evaluation as a control measure to ensure that donor funds are well utilized. From the study 84 per cent of the respondent were in agreement that positive living enhance adherence to HIV/AIDS treatment which is a key component if measuring performance of a program with 47 percent of the respondent saying that HIV drug resistance is prevalent in clients with unstable psychosocial support. Financial constrains were found to often affect treatment outcomes with ninety five percent in agreement with that. On availability and accessibility of HIV/AIDS information 74 percent agreed this has improved treatment outcomes of PLHIV. The study established that, Strategic Issues, Donor Influence and PLHIV Character and Behavior could determine the performance of a program with (F (3, 84) = 6.84, p = 0.000). The study concludes that it’s imperative that employees are aware of the strategic plan, what they are expected to do and how their performance will be measured and the importance to training the implementation staff on project anagement skills. The study also concludes that customer’s perceptions on how well the company delivers value should be consistently monitored. The study concludes that there are areas of conflict between the donor policies and the host government policies and that donor employ monitoring and evaluation as a tool to ensure that program goals and objectives are met. On Characteristics and behavior of PLHIV’s Influence on program’s Performance, the study concludes that PHLIV’s adherence to long term ARV treatment affect the performance of a program with positive living and psychosocial support being major determinant of adherence. The study also concludes that financial constraints and gender beliefs have a negative effect on the treatment outcome of PLHIV while availability and access to information about HIV/AIDS have a positive effect to treatment outcome. On Strategic Issues Affecting HIV Programs, the study recommends all employees should be engaged and be made aware of the strategic direction of the program. The study recommends that programs to offer implementation staff with adequate trainings on project management issues. To gauge performance in service delivery and ensure right decisions are being made the study recommends that programs should consistently carry customer satisfaction Surveys. On donor’s Influence on program’s Performance the study recommends that to avoid conflict between the donor policies and the host government policies the study recommends prior agreement of the need that the donor wants to address. The study also recommends that the implementing staff should comply with the donor requirements especially employment of monitoring and evaluation within the program. On PLHIV Characters and behavior the study recommends that promotion of adherence through positive living and psychosocial support is intensified. Where applicable the study recommends that a program adopts a holistic care approach where there is concern of livelihood, where clients can be supported in establishing income generating activities. The also study recommends that dissemination of information about HIV/AIDS be enhanced