Project Management Strategies, Government Regulations, and Performance of Health Rehabilitation Projects in Kenya: A Case of Gynocare

Abstract

Health rehabilitation projects have become a vital component of public health systems across the globe. Despite the efforts of NGOS, government agencies, and healthcare stakeholders, many fistula rehabilitation projects in Kenya continue to face significant challenges that impact their effectiveness. As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of project management strategies on performance of health rehabilitation projects in Kenya and the moderating effect of government regulations. The specific objectives of the study were; to examine the effect of project planning on the performance of Gynocare fistula rehabilitation project, to assess the effect of risk management on the performance of Gynocare fistula rehabilitation project, to examine the effect of resource management on the performance of Gynocare fistula rehabilitation project, to establish the effect of stakeholder engagement on the performance of Gynocare fistula rehabilitation project, and to evaluate the moderating effect of government regulations on the relationship between project management strategies and the performance of health rehabilitation projects in Kenya. This study was anchored on Systems Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory, and Institutional Theory. Using a cross-sectional-explanatory research design, the study’s target population included 104 respondents from Gynocare. The research used primary data, collected using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. Descriptive findings indicated strong agreement on the adoption of project management practices, with overall mean scores above 4.3, reflecting widespread implementation of structured planning, proactive risk mitigation, resource optimization, and stakeholder participation. Correlation results revealed strong positive associations between all strategies and project performance (r ranging from 0.63 to 0.67, p<.05). Regression analysis established that project planning (β=0.528, R²=0.279), risk management (β=0.520, R²=0.271), resource management (β=0.644, R²=0.415), and stakeholder engagement (β=0.669, R²=0.448) were all significant predictors of performance (p<.05), leading to the rejection of H01-H04. The moderating effect of government regulations was statistically significant (β=0.181, p=.025), improving the explanatory power of the model from 52.0% to 54.0%, thus rejecting H05. The study concludes that effective project planning, risk mitigation, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement, reinforced by regulatory compliance, significantly enhance timeliness, efficiency, and sustainability of health rehabilitation projects. It recommends institutionalizing structured planning tools, proactive risk frameworks, prudent resource management, and participatory stakeholder approaches, while strengthening supportive regulatory oversight. The findings extend the Project Management, Resource-Based View, Stakeholder, and Institutional Theories, providing theoretical and practical insights for policymakers, project managers, and NGOs in health rehabilitation.