Five-year achievements of the Strategic Plan for the Department of Disease Control 2011-2020

Abstract

This report was an evaluation of the Department of Disease Control Strategic Plan  for the fiscal year 2011-2020 (the Strategic Plan). More specifically, it was a midterm evaluation of the Strategic Plan during the fiscal year 2011-2015. The objectives were (1) to understand the process of putting strategy into practice, (2) to determine the effectiveness of the Department of Disease Control’s strategy for the fiscal year 2011-2015, and (3) to analyze the progress of achieving the Department of Disease Control's vision in the year 2020. The data that was used in the study consists of primary data, which was information collected from the interviews with members of the senior management of the Ministry of Public Health, Department of Disease Control, heads and members of the strategic and planning groups of the Department and secondary data from operation reports and related performance evaluation documents. The study showed that (1) with regard to the process of putting strategy into practice, there existed organization leadership and strategic planning including a clearly-defined organization structure which was responsible for implementing the planned strategies among the leadership of the Department of Disease Control. There was enough operating budget. There was a communication process in place which was used to convey vision, mission, goals, values to both management and personnel, thereby resulting in a high level of awareness and understanding. As a result, the Department Disease Control received the Quality Award for Public Sector Management in the fiscal year 2014, which included Category 1: Corporate leadership and social responsibility; and Category 2: Strategic planning and communication for Implementation. Next, (2) With regard to the effectiveness of strategic plans of the Department of Disease Control, overall, a high average value of 88.31 percent of the established goals were achieved. Last (3) For the progress in achieving the Department of Disease Control's visions as a leading international organization, in 2014, the Department received a States Government Service award from the United Nation and an award for promoting participation in policy decision making through innovation. In the case of the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) disease but there was no widespread transmission of the MERS disease in Thailand, the disease control process was well recognized and appreciated by the World Health Organization (WHO). It can be concluded that the implementation of the Strategic Plan yielded satisfactory results. For future improvement of the Strategic Plan, one should consider implementing a plan which deals with policy and regulation development by advancing strategic thinking process of the organization’s designated personnel