[EQ] Social protection in health schemes for mother, newborn and child population

Social protection in health schemes for mother, newborn and child population:
lessons learned from the Latin American Region

 

Pan American Health Organization - PAHO/WHO
Area of Health Systems Strengthening -  Health Policies and Systems Unit - 2007

 

Available line PDF [177p.] at:  http://www.lachealthsys.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=386

 

“…….The availability of comprehensive reproductive and child health care remains an unrealized goal in most of the world, and some countries have actually experienced stagnation or even reversals in their maternal and child health indicators (WHO, 2005). This reality has prompted policymakers and international cooperation agencies to focus on the implementation of different mother, newborn and child health protection schemes in order to improve access to care for these populations.

 

Although the impact of many of these interventions on health processes and outcomes is well-documented in the LAC Region, further comparative analysis is needed to identify lessons learned and to understand the role these interventions play in the broader institutional setting of existing health systems and their relationship with social determinants of health such as socio-economic status, gender, and ethnicity.

 

A cross-sectional descriptive analysis based on a literature/internet review and secondary sources was carried out. Seven social protection health schemes were analyzed.

 

This report argues that the improvement of mother, newborn, and child health can only be achieved through a holistic approach, combining interventions that address social, economic, cultural, age related and ethnic barriers to accessing health care. This multifaceted approach must be based on a long-term societal and political agreement…..”

 

“…..Selected schemes were grouped into different types according to the three components of social protection:

a. Health care coverage

b. Population coverage

c. Financial protection/Solidarity in financing

 

For the first dimension, health coverage, the following parameters were selected:

1. Degree of coverage - i.e. whether the benefits/services portfolio is comprehensive, complementary, or supplementary

2. Existence of a portfolio of entitlements

3. Type of provision

For the second, population coverage, the following parameters were chosen:

1. Degree of selectivity, i.e. whether the SPHS is universal or targets a specific group;

2. Population entitled to coverage

3. Conditions for access

4. Size of the risk pool

 

Concerning the third dimension, the following parameters were used:

1. Mode of financing

2. Source of funding

3. Type of risk pooling arrangement9

4. Resources management and management level - who manages the resources and at what government level the resource management is carried out….”

 

Content:

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

2. Background

3. Conceptual Framework

3.1) Description of the Social Protection in Health Schemes (SPHS) currently in place in the region

3.2) Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the SPHS

4. Analytical Framework

5. Case Studies

5.1) Universal Mother & Child Insurance (Bolivia)

5.2) The Family Health Program (Brazil)

5.3) Mother & Child Social Health Protection Policy (Chile)

5.4) Free Maternity and Child Care Law (Ecuador)

5.5) Mother and Child Voucher (Honduras)

5.6) OPORTUNIDADES Program (Mexico)

5.7) Integrated Health Insurance (Peru)

6. Results

7. Discussion and Lessons Learned

References

 

 

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