The Planning and Policy Development Department exists to undertake six major core functions; namely,
Specific responsibilities include:
1. Initiate, guide, facilitate and participate in the formulation of short, medium and long term plans for the Health Sector.
2. Provide technical and professional advice towards review and formulation of Health Sector Policies.
3. Prepare, appraise and oversee execution of Health Sector Infrastructure development Projects in line with the HSSP and other Strategy documents such as the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS), the Public Sector Investment Programs (PSIP) and the Millennium Development Goals.
4. Coordinate the preparation and consolidation of Budgets and Annual Work Plans for the Ministry of Health together with all its Technical Departments and Central Hospitals.
5. Oversee the implementation of the Health Sector Budget and advise management on public expenditure planning and management.
6. Monitor and evaluate Health Sector Plans, Policies, Programs, Projects and all other interventions.
7. Design and manage the monitoring and reporting mechanism for Programs implemented in the Health Sector.
8. Coordinate the preparation of progress reports, updates and briefs for various programs implemented in the Health sector for Ministry’s Management and feedback, (fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, biannual, annually) in collaboration with Technical Departments.
9. Collect and analyse Health Sector statistics Databank.
10. Design, administer, analyse, interpret, manage and disseminate periodic socioeconomic surveys/studies/research information all modes of health in collaboration with Technical Departments in the Ministry and other Institutions and stakeholders in the sector.
11. Provide guidance and assistance in statistics and information technology services in the Ministry’s Departments.