Step 2: Develop a Timeline
Objectives
- Develop a detailed timeline listing all tasks included in the planning and implementation stages of the CD, with realistic time-bound targets and the point person listed for each task.
Outputs
- Chronogram with point people against each task
- Hold a coordination committee meeting to prepare timeline.
- Review planning checklist.
- Prepare draft timeline for further review and finalization.
- To maintain an overarching view of the CD approach, develop a single chronogram and budget for the overall CD strategy. Later, you may need additional chronograms for specific tasks within channels at lower planning levels, but it is important to have a single overarching chronogram to encourage a wider view of the activities underway, to promote synergy during planning, and to reduce the likelihood of duplicating efforts.
- Use the planning checklist and sample chronogram to review the activities needed in the planning and management cycle. Review these against your local context and needs; you may need to add some tasks or some may be redundant.
- Review the activities with the idea of streamlining tasks across CD channels and across other tasks already planned for other activities in-country, looking for possible areas of synergy and to avoid duplication; but, remember the importance of not over-loading already planned activities with too many additional objectives.
- Ensure each task has an assigned point person who agrees to take on the task and has a position and expertise appropriate to ensuring the task is completed.
- Consider timings carefully (e.g., do not plan major logistics movements during the rainy season).
- Ensure that routine channels are operational before, during, and after mass campaign distributions; they should not halt during mass campaign distribution periods
- Ensure that enough (and realistic) time is committed to tasks that often become hurdles in the functionality of CD: procurement, management, administrative and financial tasks, and resupply.
- The planning at this stage should consider the scale at which the country program plans to start distributions. In some cases, particularly for new distribution channels, it may be preferable to conduct a small-scale implementation before planning wider roll out. In some countries with fairly well functioning ANC and EPI distributions, partners may decide that enough international experience is available with these channels, meaning the country may decide to immediately begin initial implementation at scale.
- Do not plan major activities (such as start ups, large trainings or review meetings) for health facility distribution during health campaign weeks etc.
- Check the current routine practice for trainings, refresher trainings, data collection, and reporting and supervision; align where appropriate.
- The VectorWorks document Guide to Health Facility-based Distribution of Insecticide-treated Nets provides more detail on these issues.
- Ensure the plan includes sufficient time and opportunity to include community representatives in the planning and roll out.
- The VectorWorks document, Guide to Community-based Distribution of Insecticide-treated Nets, provides more detail on these issues.
- Do not plan key activities for school-based distribution during school holidays or exam periods.
- Ensure that MOE personnel are closely involved in the timeline planning and guide discussions on the steps needed.
- The VectorWorks document, Guide to School-based Distribution of Insecticide-treated Nets, provides more detail on these issues.
- Example Chronogram: Tanzania – Chronogram for the roll-out of health facility-based distribution in two regions, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, VectorWorks Project, 2015.