Improving transport infrastructure
Improvement in rural transport infrastructure can reduce the time that it takes to reach health facilities. Higher quality of roads can be used by more types of vehicles and enable local motor services to extend their coverage and reduce costs (Babinard and Roberts, 2006).
A study of the Makete District in Malawi shows that rehabilitation of the road from Njombe to Makete resulted in an increase in patient numbers of around 15 per cent at the mission run hospital. However, improving the condition of roads may not increase access to services for poor women. A study from Kenya showed that, after building new, direct roads, the better-off increased their use of a district hospital whereas user fees and transport costs continued to be constraints for the poor (Downing and Sethi, 2001).
Construction of feeder roads providing motorized transport that connect 45 villages in the Darfur region of Sudan are reported to have influenced measurable impacts on community health. The study found that while women’s travel time to health faculties was reduced in some locations, in others women continued to contend with a full day’s journey to their nearest health centre (Musa, in ‘Balancing the load’ 2002).
A study of the Makete District in Malawi shows that rehabilitation of the road from Njombe to Makete resulted in an increase in patient numbers of around 15 per cent at the mission run hospital. However, improving the condition of roads may not increase access to services for poor women. A study from Kenya showed that, after building new, direct roads, the better-off increased their use of a district hospital whereas user fees and transport costs continued to be constraints for the poor (Downing and Sethi, 2001).
Construction of feeder roads providing motorized transport that connect 45 villages in the Darfur region of Sudan are reported to have influenced measurable impacts on community health. The study found that while women’s travel time to health faculties was reduced in some locations, in others women continued to contend with a full day’s journey to their nearest health centre (Musa, in ‘Balancing the load’ 2002).
- Maternal and child mortality development goals: what can the transport sector do?
- ( J. Babinard;P. Roberts / World Bank , 2006)
- This report published by the World Bank focuses on the role of transport and road infrastructure in the delivery of and access to maternal and child health services, and in the effectiveness of the he...
- Health issues in transport and the implications for policy
- ( A. Downing;D. Sethi / Department for International Development, UK , 2001)
- This paper produced by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) reviews current literature on the relationship between health and transport and poor communities. In particular, it focuse...
- Balancing the load: women, gender and transport
- ( P. Fernando;G. Porter / International Forum for Rural Transport and Development , 2002)
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This book draws together local level research from 15 countries across Asia and Africa, to help understand how gender affects men and women's access to transport, and what steps can be taken at com...
