Sustainable financing
The right reforms? Health sector reforms and sexual and reproductive health
Accountability, participation and good governance critical to health sector reform and sexual and reproductive health services
Authors:
T. K. Sundari Ravindran; H. de Pinho
Publisher:
Initiative for Sexual & Reproductive Rights in Health Reforms [School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand], 2005
This publication, from the Initiative for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Health Reforms, pulls together available information on how health sector reform has impacted on sexual and reproductive health services (SRH), and identifies information gaps and advocacy issues. It draws on findings from Africa, Asia and Latin America on financing, public-private interaction, priority-setting, decentralisation, integration of services and accountability in health sector reform.
The authors argue that four principles need to be applied in response to the impact of neo-liberal health sector reform and to promote the provision of quality SRH services based on an equity and rights approach.These are: strengthening state legitimacy and reinforcing good governance; building political will and commitment to a discourse of equity and rights that ensure an inclusive health system; strengthening health systems through the provision of adequate resources and the capacity to manage these resources; and developing constructive accountability and participative mechanisms that facilitate meaningful involvement and advocacy from even the most vulnerable groups.The authors also highlight knowledge and research gaps that need to be addressed, including: context and actors in health sector reform and SRH services; assessing the impact of reform on health systems; and methods and tools for research. [adapted from author]
