Reports from Andrew McKenzie and Colleagues Advance Knowledge in Global Health (Measures to strengthen primary health-care systems in low- and middle-income countries)

2020 NOV 23 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Health and Medicine - Global Health have been published. According to news originating from London, United Kingdom, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Primary health care offers a cost-effective route to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). However, primary health-care systems are weak in many low-and middle-income countries and often fail to provide comprehensive, people-centred, integrated care.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research, “We analysed the primary health-care systems in 20 low-and middle-income countries using a semi-grounded approach. Options for strengthening primary health-care systems were identified by thematic content analysis. We found that: (i) despite the growing burden of noncommunicable disease, many low-and middle-income countries lacked funds for preventive services; (ii) community health workers were often under-resourced, poorly supported and lacked training; (iii) out-of-pocket expenditure exceeded 40% of total health expenditure in half the countries studied, which affected equity; and (iv) health insurance schemes were hampered by the fragmentation of public and private systems, underfunding, corruption and poor engagement of informal workers. In 14 countries, the private sector was largely unregulated. Moreover, community engagement in primary health care was weak in countries where services were largely privatized. In some countries, decentralization led to the fragmentation of primary health care. Performance improved when financial incentives were linked to regulation and quality improvement, and community involvement was strong. Policy-making should be supported by adequate resources for primary health-care implementation and government spending on primary health care should be increased by at least 1% of gross domestic product. Devising equity-enhancing financing schemes and improving the accountability of primary health-care management is also needed.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Support from primary health-care systems is critical for progress towards UHC in the decade to 2030.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Measures to strengthen primary health-care systems in low- and middle-income countries. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2020;98(11):781-791. Bulletin of the World Health Organization can be contacted at: World Health Organization, Marketing and Dissemination, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from Andrew McKenzie, DAI Global Health, London, UK. Additional authors for this research include Etienne V. Langlois, Helen Schneider and Jeffrey W. Mecaskey.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.2471/blt.20.252742. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal Bulletin of the World Health Organization is: World Health Organization, Marketing and Dissemination, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.

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