Incentives are important determinants of employee motivation, retention and performance. These
are applied by low and middle income countries to better the health system performance. The
Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in 2006 applied incentives to its health workers mainly to
motivate, retain and improve performance of the skilled health workers. This came as result of
the acute shortage and low motivation of skilled health workers it had and has been grappling
with including the high attrition of between 30%and50percent (HRSAR, 2005 p.13). This crosssectional
study assessed the perceived incentives effect on the motivation and performance of
mid-level managers in the health programme management at central through their perceptions
and views.
The Main Objective is to describe the perceived incentives effect on the incentives quality
improvement of health programme management at central level. The main objective has three
specific objectives: The first one is to assess the views of mid-level managers on the perceived
incentives effect on their motivation and performance. The second one is to assess the mid-level
managers’ perception on variety and types of incentives while the third one is to assess the
customers view on the quality of health programme provided by mid-level managers.
Methods: Mainly explorative and explanatory qualitative study was conducted using purposive
sampling technique or non-random sampling to select 28 mid-level managers. The quantitative
approach was used to complement the qualitative. The questionnaires (self-administered) were
used as research strategy to collect data from the 28 mid-level managers. Motivating and demotivating
factors, job descriptions, supportive supervision, salaries, other financial incentives,
promotion, career development, training, performance appraisal, intention to leave etc. were all
investigated.
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Results (major findings)
The study showed that incentives have had some effect on the motivation and performance of
mid-level managers. 75% agreed that incentives did have effect on their performance and the
same was accorded for quality of health programme management. 92% agreed that incentives
improve quality of health programme management. On a scale of 1-10, the incentives effect on
performance was rated by 55 % (5.5on scale) by twelve respondents. On a scale of 1-5, the
incentives effect on improving quality of health programme management was rated by 70 % (3.5
on scale) by ten respondents. Eighty eight percent (88%) of respondents were dissatisfied with
the financial incentives and 62.55 had planned to leave their jobs in some point in time.
Conclusion
The results showed that incentives did have some positive effect on mid-level managers’
motivation and performance as well as the quality of health programme management. Hence
improving motivation and performance of mid-level managers are essential in enhancing the
quality of health programme management at central level.