Do national human resources for health policy interventions impact successfully on local human resources for health systems: a case study of Epworth, Zimbabwe

Background: The global health workforce crisis remains a challenge undermining health system strengthening in low-income peri-urban areas. Whilst the 2018 Astana Declaration and the 2030 Global Health Workforce Strategy are helping guide effort to address this challenge, the Decision Space Approach presents an opportunity through which to further understand decision space and its impact on innovation and performance, and what it can contribute towards the goal of health-care worker reform. Objective: To use the Decision Space Approach to understand how national policy interventions on health workers impact local health-care worker systems in Epworth, Zimbabwe. Methods: A case study design, within which cross-sectional studies were carried out at the principal and agent level, was used. At the principal level, data were collected through a documentary search and key informant interviews and generated a Human Resource for Health Policy Decision Space Mapping Analysis Conceptual Tool. The Conceptual Tool guided data collection at the agent level, where a documentary search, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were carried out. The Tool facilitated discussion of findings and was complemented by interpretive thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Results: Intervention by the health ministry resulted in moderate decision space within which functional innovation, in partnership with the local board and church mission, revived financial budgeting, human resources planning, deployment, and retention. However, low capacity of the principal undermined the implementation of choices generated from narrow decision space in training, performance management, labor relations, safety, and information and research. Conclusions: Whilst collaborative intervention by the principal may help revive health-care worker systems in low-income peri-urban areas, financial and technical incapacity of the principal and agent may undermine performance. Narrow decision space brings health-care worker reform policy direction but incapacity undermines progression towards universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals in low-income peri-urban areas.