Health-system reform and universal health coverage in Latin America.

Starting in the late 1980s, many Latin American countries began social sector reforms to alleviate poverty, reduce socioeconomic inequalities, improve health outcomes, and provide financial risk protection. In particular, starting in the 1990s, reforms aimed at strengthening health systems to reduce inequalities in health access and outcomes focused on expansion of universal health coverage, especially for poor citizens. In Latin America, health-system reforms have produced a distinct approach to universal health coverage, underpinned by the principles of equity, solidarity, and collective action to overcome social inequalities. In most of the countries studied, government financing enabled the introduction of supply-side interventions to expand insurance coverage for uninsured citizens--with defined and enlarged benefits packages--and to scale up delivery of health services. Countries such as Brazil and Cuba introduced tax-financed universal health systems. These changes were combined with demand-side interventions aimed at alleviating poverty (targeting many social determinants of health) and improving access of the most disadvantaged populations. Hence, the distinguishing features of health-system strengthening for universal health coverage and lessons from the Latin American experience are relevant for countries advancing universal health coverage.

Uganda: improving maternal health care efficiency and financing.

PIP: This article presents the findings of the Partnerships for Health Reform on the efficiency and financing issues of maternal health services of the Ugandan Ministry of Health. A comparison was made between provider and consumer maternal health service expenditures provided by a public and a mission hospital and center, and by 17 private midwives and 20 traditional birth attendants (TBAs). The six areas covered by the study include antenatal care, normal deliveries, cesarean deliveries, postabortion care and postpartum hemorrhage and eclampsia complications. Greater health service cost was noted among mission hospitals compared with public hospitals and health centers, while prices for cesarean deliveries and treatment of obstetrical complications are higher compared with other maternal health services. Records show relative efficiency indications of the various providers, while quality of services were noted among midwives working in hospitals and centers compared with TBAs. Most consumer costs were observed to be lower compared with other care-related expenses except for mission health care cost. Thus, mission facilities recover more financially compared with public health centers and hospitals. Key actions suggested include: increasing health service utilization, streamlining staffing, improving the drug supply, employing midwives, assessing prescription practices, establishing specific times for check-ups, regulating consumer fees and provision of contracting arrangements, intensifying performance incentives, and evaluating user incomes and the ability of the public to pay for health care services.^ieng

Bolivia: a mid-course assessment of the National Mother Child Health Insurance Program.

PIP: This article presents a mid-course assessment on the National Mother Child Health (MCH) Insurance Program in Bolivia. Since the initiation of the MCH insurance program in 1996, the government anticipated the reduction of maternal and child mortality through provision of essential medical care for reproductive women, newborns and children under 5 years old. The program addresses priority health needs such as birth and antenatal care, acute respiratory illness, and diarrhea. The evaluation was conducted through interviews, information reviews, and surveys among 31 hospitals, health centers, and heath posts in 12 municipalities of Bolivia. Changes in the utilization of services, financial sustainability, and institutional capacity were observed as a result of insurance reform. In conclusion, this evaluation suggests some modifications in the program, including alteration of basic payment rates of the insurance program, creation of an administrative unit to manage program operations, and examination of problem areas such as subsidized transportation, reimbursement rates, shortage of working capital, and personnel incentives.^ieng