Public Health Manpower Development to Support Primary Health Care

Abstract

This research aimed to study the development of public health manpower and key success factors in driving the development of public health manpower to support primary health care. The mixed methods were applied. The quantitative method consisted of secondary data and primary data studies. Using systematic sampling, the sample was 386 personnel working in a PCU (primary care unit) or NPCU (network of primary care units) registered with the Bureau of Primary Health System Support, Ministry of Public Health. A questionnaire was created by the researcher for data collection. Its reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, obtaining a value of 0.97. Data were collected via the LINE application and analyzed using descriptive statistics. For the qualitative method, key informants were selected using purposive sampling, including administrators with expertise in the public health workforce of primary health care and practitioners at the PCU or NPCU. A semi-structured interview questionnaire was used. Face-to-face and telephone interviews were used for data collection. Content analysis was conducted. The results showed that guidelines for the development of public health manpower included: (1) having an official structure of PCU or NPCU endorsed by the ministerial regulations, (2) ensuring adequate numbers of qualified workforce with a range of minimum and maximum number for an adjustment to suit local context, and (3) managing resources of primary health care taking into account an integration of both centralized and decentralized authorities. The key success factors in driving the development of the public health workforce included providing incentives to personnel for working within primary health care by promoting a clear career path with position of government servants, giving sufficient compensation, promoting family medicine to be more accepted, distribution of health personnel, retaining health personnel by setting professional career paths, working near to their hometown, and providing good governance in the workplaces.