The “Third-party Evaluation of Primary Health Care Service Support Project for Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) and Host Communities (HC) in Cox’s Bazar District of Bangladesh” aimed to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, cover, and coherence, and incorporation of 9 Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) of health services provided under a Japan Platform (JPF)-funded initiative. The project, implemented by Health Management BD Foundation (HMBD) with support from Japan International Support Program (JISP), operated from February 2021 to March 2022.

This evaluation focused on interventions such as establishing and managing a health post in Camp 2W for FDMN communities and capacity-building training for health workers in the host community. Services included primary health care, maternal and reproductive health, management of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and awareness campaigns on hygiene and COVID-19 prevention. The study aimed to verify project outcomes, beneficiary satisfaction, and adherence to humanitarian principles and standards. By incorporating the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) and OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, the evaluation also analyzed localization components and the project’s contributions to Joint Response Plan (JRP) 2021.

The objectives of the evaluation included:

• To verify actual outputs and outcomes of the project with the available data
• To verify that the humanitarian principles and standards including Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS) are respected.
• To understand the beneficiary satisfaction
• To assess the contributions of the project to Joint Response Plan 2021 and JPF’s program goals.
• To document and extract lessons learned and best practices and provide robust recommendations to improve the future projects and programme.

The evaluation was conducted in Camp 2W, 2E, and 6 for FDMN populations and Teknaf Upazila for the host community. Employing a mixed-method approach, the study utilized structured surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews (IDIs), and key informant interviews (KIIs). Quantitative and qualitative data triangulation ensured a comprehensive understanding of the project’s impact on beneficiaries’ access to quality health services.

Key Highlights of the Assignment

DM WATCH LIMITED executed this assignment through a structured evaluation process, encompassing the following phases:

Inception Phase

• Conducted initial discussions with JPF, JISP, and HMBD to define the evaluation scope and objectives.
• Developed and submitted an inception report with detailed methodologies, evaluation framework, and tools aligned with CHS and OECD-DAC criteria.
• Incorporated feedback to finalize the inception report and tools, including structured questionnaires, FGD, and KII guidelines.

Data Collection Phase

• Trained enumerators and supervisors on data collection tools and ethical guidelines, ensuring adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.
• Conducted household surveys in FDMN camps and Teknaf Upazila using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) to ensure data accuracy and quality.
• Facilitated qualitative data collection, including:
  • 10 KIIs with stakeholders such as health coordinators, public health managers, and camp leaders.
  • 5 IDIs with FDMN beneficiaries and health volunteers.
  • 2 FGDs with male and female groups from the FDMN community.
  • Success story documentation to highlight project outcomes.
  • Physical observations of health posts in Camp 2W.

Data Management and Analysis

• Ensured robust data cleaning and coding processes for qualitative and quantitative data using MS Excel, SPSS and NVivo.
• Conducted statistical analyses, including descriptive and inferential methods, to evaluate service utilization, satisfaction, and health outcomes.
• Employed thematic coding and content analysis to extract insights from qualitative data.
• Triangulated findings across data sources to ensure accuracy and validity.

Reporting and Dissemination

• Prepared a comprehensive draft evaluation report highlighting findings, lessons learned, and actionable recommendations.
• Organized a validation workshop to present findings and gather stakeholder feedback.
• Finalized the report by incorporating feedback from JPF, JISP and HMBD.
• Delivered the final report along with a clean dataset and coding files.