Governance and health
- From humanitarian and post-conflict assistance to health system strengthening in fragile states: clarifying the transition and the role of NGOs
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In fragile states, particularly those that have experienced extended periods of conflict, health systems have typically been seriously eroded and damaged. This policy brief focuses on the transition from emergency assistance and relief to strengthening the health system for the long term, and the role of NGOs and how they can help fragile states to rehabilitate their health systems.
Health systems are strongly influenced by the institutional framework within which they operate. This section of the resource guide explores some of the relationships that influence provision of health services.
The government plays a central role in establishing the institutional framework for the health sector. It provides broad policy directions. It defines the terms and conditions of public sector employment and the relationship between central and local governments and providers of health services. It also legislates and enforces regulations to prevent dangerous practices and protect the public.
A wide variety of organisations have a stake in the health sector, including bodies that represent different categories of health workers, groups of users of services and non-governmental providers of services. Their behaviour strongly influences the implementation of health policies and they need to be involved in decisions that affect their members.
Users of health services also influence providers. One way to make them more effective is to provide information on the kinds of services they require and on the performance of health facilities. Another way is to provide mechanisms through which they can voice their concerns and participate in monitoring provider performance.
For more information on wider governance issues, see the Governance and Social Development Resource Centre.
Latest Additions
Health systems in Uttar Pradesh
- ( D. Peters;K. Rao;G.N.V Ramana / Health, Nutrition and Population Division, Human Development Department, World Bank , 2004)
- Uttar Pradesh, with 170 million people is India’s most populous state. Socioeconomic inequalities in health outcomes are large within India overall, but more pronounced in Uttar Pradesh and neig...
- The impact of demographic transformation on the health of the urban poor
- ( M. R. Montgomery / Population Reference Bureau , 2009)
- This bulletin, published by the Population Reference Bureau, provides a sketch of urban health in developing countries, documenting the intra-urban differences in health for a number of countries and ...
