Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector?
The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The World Health Organization
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| Series: | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862003001200007&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1827337392718086144 |
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| author | Flavia Bustreo April Harding Henrik Axelsson |
| author_facet | Flavia Bustreo April Harding Henrik Axelsson |
| author_sort | Flavia Bustreo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:53:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57509fafb0514f7799e7e843ffbe9fdc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0042-9686 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:53:17Z |
| publisher | The World Health Organization |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| spelling | doaj.art-57509fafb0514f7799e7e843ffbe9fdc2024-03-02T01:03:44ZengThe World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health Organization0042-9686811288689510.1590/S0042-96862003001200007S0042-96862003001200007Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector?Flavia Bustreo0April Harding1Henrik Axelsson2World BankWorld BankWorld BankThe private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862003001200007&lng=en&tlng=enchild health servicesdelivery of health caredelivery of health careoutcome assessment (health care)private sectorquality of health carequality assurancehealth carecontract servicessocial marketinglegislationhealth knowledge, attitudes, practicedeveloping countries |
| spellingShingle | Flavia Bustreo April Harding Henrik Axelsson Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector? Bulletin of the World Health Organization child health services delivery of health care delivery of health care outcome assessment (health care) private sector quality of health care quality assurance health care contract services social marketing legislation health knowledge, attitudes, practice developing countries |
| title | Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector? |
| title_full | Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector? |
| title_fullStr | Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector? |
| title_short | Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector? |
| title_sort | can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector |
| topic | child health services delivery of health care delivery of health care outcome assessment (health care) private sector quality of health care quality assurance health care contract services social marketing legislation health knowledge, attitudes, practice developing countries |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862003001200007&lng=en&tlng=en |
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