potent i:,I loss of conlrol. With lhc increasing complcxi Ly of hen Ith problems, increasing cos ls f11r ins I it,,tion-Lrnscd health cnrc/ hculthscrvicesnncl incre:1singexpertjse lo audre:;s spcdlic lwallh needs. prohlems 1111d issues. there is enhanced mo1iv. 11ion for initiatir1g or gl'llini; involved with inltrdisciplinary nnd inle. ragcncy coordination that fndlitate inlegration ofsh:n-c<l ). \oals and n'sourccs lo incrcaseeffc,·tivcncss and tifficiency. where rnsonrcc:-:1l'l' limited or inacccssiblc. (Pl>livka, 1995). Utilizing part ncrship concepts nnd till' partidpalory upprom. :h, cconllict rc:,;vlulion mechanisms. optimum infornrntinn excl1an~c uppurtunilic,:, e11hanced decisio 11-111nkiog proces~es ancl quality intcrngcncy comnrnnication can be achieved Lhrnugh mutunl tn Lst and respect and shared vision. THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS OF PARTNERSHIP P,u-Lnership is n type of rdntionshi p churnctedzed by a close cooperation belween p:1rtieia having svecitied and joint rights and responsibilities as t J1ey try to work on a common venlun:. lt is nn egalitarian rclntmonship where pm1. 11c L-s consider each other as co-equals in so far a:s the intrinsic \,·ort h and access to rights :111d 1)rivileges of the group arc concern(. "<. l. They pni-ticip,1te eq1Lally in assuming 1·esponsibi1iti. es to achieve the ob_iectivcs und goalsjointl_v ide11titicd. Such a genuine p M"licipntion is not common. Health workers ore often faced with the reality thilt pilrticipants in commn. nily health developmenl work (i. e. members of the commm l. ity, represent atives of i1ge11. cy resources, and the health wodwrs themselves) need lo learn l1ow to wod~ together as real partners. Jnordertoengage in a partnership thnti!, characterized as a mutually growth-promoting relationship, the parlnets nee<! to internalize tl1e following essential ingredient s: 1. belief in egalitadan relationship;· 2. open-mindedness; 3. respect and tn1st; and, 4. commitmen t to enhance each others capabilities for partner ship. Belief in Ega J;tarian Relationship Partnership can not be a reality unless an egalitarian relationship is considered vital by the identified part11ers in health development. The health worker must firmly believe that in order to achieve personal, professional or organiz-ationa l goals and objectives, she/he must engage in an ega Jitarian relationship with membe1·s of the community and others involved with development work. Commu nity members n1ust also 1·e-alize that for health services and programs to become more effective and accessible to their families, they must be co-equals of health professionals in community health development work. Open-mindedne ss Individu als who are gathered together to do partnership on a common venture carry with them their past experiences which affect the way they see, analyze, and understand things, evenls, nnd people. As practical beings with limited functions and duties to perform, they are inclined to feel intensely the importanc e of these duties and the significance of the situations that call these forth. '111 us, some actions of others 1nay be judged as stupid, useless or bad by those who have become so used to doing or se,eing things in an entirely different way. People moy become so absorbed in their particu1ar 116 