title: A rapid appraisal of functioning of district programme management units under NRHM in Madhya Pradesh.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the functioning of District Programme Management Units in the delivery of health services in various districts of Madhya Pradesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in seven districts of Madhya Pradesh selected randomly. The study subjects were Chief Medical and Health Officers, programme managers, assistant managers and data officers at state and district levels. Datawas collected from the respondents in a pre-designed, pre-tested in-depth interview schedule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Around 70% of districts submitted their Programme Implementation Plan (PIP) on time, 30% were unable to do so because of inadequate staff and frequent changing of the reporting format. The District Programme Managers (DPMs) were not satisfied with their fixed salary. But they were satisfied with their job. In some districts the space available for the functioning of District Programme Management Unit (DPMU) are rather too small.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Standardized uniform formats and guidelines should be made available to all DPMUs at the beginning of planning process. A comprehensive pre-service training for the DPMU staff including practical sessions, field exposure on district health planning, financial management, technical and administrative issues needs to be ensured.
authors.affiliation: Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toppo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khattar
authors.forename: Deoki
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nandan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006078:Government Programs; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*