TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of oversight in the health sector
T2 - The example of sexual and reproductive health services in India
AU - Peters, David H.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2002/11
Y1 - 2002/11
N2 - This paper examines the role of oversight in influencing the health sector, using examples from sexual and reproductive health services in India. Rather than simply trying to provide services through traditional bureaucratic mechanisms, governments can make use of oversight tools to influence how health care is delivered through the public and private sectors. Three main oversight functions are described: understanding health system performance, deciding when to intervene in the health system and strategizing and implementing change. Governments also need to understand the ethical basis for decisions. The potential for administering oversight through policy-making, disclosing and informing, regulating, collaborating, and strategically subsidising and contracting services in sexual and reproductive health is described. This approach implies an engagement with a broader set of stakeholders in the health sector than is often the case. It requires a set of skills for public officials beyond managing public programmes, and relies on a larger role for other stakeholders and the general public. When applied to reproductive and sexual health, implementation of the full range of oversight functions offers new opportunities to provide more effective, equitable, accountable and affordable services.
AB - This paper examines the role of oversight in influencing the health sector, using examples from sexual and reproductive health services in India. Rather than simply trying to provide services through traditional bureaucratic mechanisms, governments can make use of oversight tools to influence how health care is delivered through the public and private sectors. Three main oversight functions are described: understanding health system performance, deciding when to intervene in the health system and strategizing and implementing change. Governments also need to understand the ethical basis for decisions. The potential for administering oversight through policy-making, disclosing and informing, regulating, collaborating, and strategically subsidising and contracting services in sexual and reproductive health is described. This approach implies an engagement with a broader set of stakeholders in the health sector than is often the case. It requires a set of skills for public officials beyond managing public programmes, and relies on a larger role for other stakeholders and the general public. When applied to reproductive and sexual health, implementation of the full range of oversight functions offers new opportunities to provide more effective, equitable, accountable and affordable services.
KW - Developing countries
KW - Health sector reform
KW - India
KW - Oversight
KW - Reproductive health policies and programmes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036863534&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/S0968-8080(02)00077-0
DO - 10.1016/S0968-8080(02)00077-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 12557645
AN - SCOPUS:0036863534
SN - 0968-8080
VL - 10
SP - 82
EP - 94
JO - Reproductive Health Matters
JF - Reproductive Health Matters
IS - 20
ER -