Eleven senior staff members and the members of the board participated in the development of the new strategic plan and in the planning for the continued impact and success of their organization. Two strategic planning workshops were held, six months apart, both facilitated by the outside firm. In the interim, working groups refined the strategies and activities for each of the objectives included in the strategic plan and prepared general data for the 1989-1991 financial projections. The material presented here is taken directly from the strategic plan that resulted from this process. The entire CEMOPLAF strategic plan is too long to include here; the selections that follow illustrate the steps in the process.
CEMOPLAF is a private, social service, apolitical, non-profit Ecuadorian institution, recognized nationally and internationally, that offers Family Planning and other health and community services, and that has achieved a significant degree of self-financing (operating between 70 and 75 percent with its own resources, with the exception of donated contraceptive supplies).
Values
CEMOPLAF will:
- Work within the norms established by the Ministry of Health and in accordance with the current national population policy and the rules and regulations of CEMOPLAF.
- Respect human dignity and the right for a couple to determine the size of its family.
- Provide the highest quality of services .
- Work within the norms established under Ecuadorian law.
Culture, Policy, Economy, and Health
Culture and Policy
- Social Democratic party is in power
- Government stimulates the public sector while heeding the interests of the private sector
- Relations with the Church are neutral
- Government's population policy is supportive of family planning
Economy
- Economic growth is equal to or exceeds the Gross National Product
- Inflation is increasing
- Income is concentrated in the upper-class minority
- Rate of exchange with the U.S. dollar is getting worse
Supply of and Demand for Family Planning Services
Family Planning Service Providers (Competitors and Collaborators)
Family Planning Services:
Private doctors
APROFE
Ministry of Health
Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security
Private hospitals
Private clinics
Family Obstetric Center
Other family planning entities
Offices of the Ministry of Social Well-being
Other Health Services
Hospitals
Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security
Private doctors
Free consulting rooms
Clinics
Ministry of Health
Consulting room of the Ministry of Social Well-being
Current and Potential Clients
Family Planning Clients:
Women of childbearing age who are married or in a common-law union who use contraceptives
Women of childbearing age who are married or in a common-law union who are not currently using contraceptives, but who are potential family planning acceptors
Clients of Other Health Services:
Girls (infants to 12 years old)
Women (ages 13 and over)
Men (who need lab services)
Sources of Funding and Commodities
Anticipated reduction in funding from international donors
Continued donation of contraceptives
Demographic Information
Population: 10.5 million
Birth rate has decreased somewhat due to family planning programs
Migration to urban areas continues to aggravate poor living conditions on the outskirts of the cities
Urban development will continues
Internal Factors: Strengths
Good staff morale and motivation, team spirit, interest in improving programs
High-quality, trained personnel
Service centers are well located geographically and have capacity for expansion
Staff members are open to change
Organization has national and international prestige
Internal Factors: Weaknesses
Lack of quality controls
Confusion about employees' roles
Work tends to be oriented towards the wishes of the donors rather than those of the institution
Financial dependence on donors
Administrative inability to expand
Lack of policy on prices
Non-computerized administrative processes
External Factors: Opportunities
Present Future Government's population policy * * Ministry of Health has a family planning program * * Greater awareness in the community about family planning * * International donations * Good relations with similar institutions for coordination * * Non-intervention of Catholic Church * Contraceptive developments * External Factors: Threats
Present Future Negative reaction of Catholic Church * Change in international policies of assistance * Decrease or suspension of donations * Fewer types of contraceptives donated to CEMOPLAF * * Increase in the rate of inflation, affecting the income for services * Competition * * Uncertain political situation due to change in government *
After reviewing the results of the environmental and SWOT analyses, CEMOPLAF established goals. Two of these were:
Goal 1: To increase access to family planning services in both urban and rural communities.
Goal 2: To become self-sufficient in family planning activities while continuing to rely on donated contraceptives.
Several strategies were developed to achieve each goal. The following are two examples of strategies chosen by CEMOPLAF to achieve Goal 1:
Goal 1: To increase access to family planning services in both urban and rural communities.
Strategy 1: Increase utilization of family planning services at the rural and marginal urban medical centers.
Strategy 2: Increase the distribution of contraceptives through community distribution locations.
Here is an objective and some of the activities developed by CEMOPLAF for each of the strategies developed for Goal 1.
Strategy 1: Increase utilization of family planning services at the rural and marginal urban medical centers.
Objective 1: Provide family planning and related services in 22 medical centers, operating with 70 percent of medical hours dedicated to family planning and other related services.
Activities:
- Contract with the most popular local newspapers and radio stations to publicize the new services.
- Train appropriate personnel in the necessary skills to provide the new services.
- Promote services at the urban level through home visits, group organizations, seminars and cinema advertisements.
- Design and develop promotional material.
- Provide ten courses annually for CEMOPLAF personnel on the family planning client perspective.
Strategy 2: Increase the distribution of contraceptives through community distribution locations.
Objective 1: Increase the number of community distribution locations in the six provinces where they are currently operating by at least 20 percent annually and increase the quantity of contraceptives distributed by 25 percent annually.
Activities:
- Select new distribution locations in the designated areas, expanding the geographic coverage in each area.
- Hire additional personnel to staff the new distribution locations.
- Train new personnel in the skills required for their positions.
- Produce educational and promotional materials.
- Solicit donation of vehicle(s) from donor agencies for the program's transportation needs.
- Expand the contraceptive mix and reserve supply.
After establishing objectives and strategies, the planning team at CEMOPLAF developed a financial plan by estimating the income and expenses for each objective. In order to do this, the team estimated the per-unit income and the cost for each family planning service. The income and expense projections used the following data:
Based on this data, CEMOPLAF then calculated a unit cost and a unit income for family planning services. Using these projections and assumptions about future volume and pricing strategies, CEMOPLAF prepared a budget. (The budget has not been included in this example).