This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

Health policy in poor countries : weak links in the chain

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Filmer, Deon
Hammer, Jeffrey
Pritchett, Lant

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

The authors show how the recent empirical and theoretical literature on health policy sheds light on the disappointing experience with the implementation of primary health care. They emphasize the evidence on two weak links between government spending on health and improvements in health status. First, the capability of developing country governments to provide effective services varies widely -- so health spending, even on the"right"services, may lead to little actual provision of services. Second, the net impact of government provision of health services depends on the severity of market failures. Evidence suggests these are the least severe for relatively inexpensive curative services, which often absorb the bulk of primary health care budgets. Government policy in health can more usefully focus directly on mitigating market failures in traditional public health activities and, in more developed settings, failures in the markets for risk mitigation. Addressing poverty requires consideration of a much broader set of policies which may -- or may not -- include provision of health services.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/1998/01/01/000009265_3980312102556/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function:
Download Restriction: no

Publisher Info
Paper provided by The World Bank in its series Policy Research Working Paper Series with number 1874.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Length:
Date of creation: 31 Jan 1998
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:1874

Contact details of provider:
Postal: 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20433
Email:
Web page: http://www.worldbank.org/
More information through EDIRC

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Roula I. Yazigi).

Related research
Keywords: Health Systems Development&Reform; Health Monitoring&Evaluation; Early Child and Children's Health; Housing&Human Habitats; Public Health Promotion; Health Monitoring&Evaluation; Health Systems Development&Reform; Housing&Human Habitats; Health Economics&Finance; Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems;

Other versions of this item:

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)
  1. William Easterly, 2002. "The cartel of good intentions: the problem of bureaucracy in foreign aid," Journal of Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 5(4), pages 223-250, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Suhrcke, Marc, 2000. "Are Reforms From a Centrally Planned to a Market System Bad for Health?," Discussion Paper Series 26142, Hamburg Institute of International Economics. [Downloadable!]
  3. Paul Collier & Stefan Dercon & John Mackinnon, 2004. "Density versus Quality in Health Care Provision: Using Household Data to Make Budgetary Choices in Ethiopia," Development and Comp Systems 0409052, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Marianne Fay & Danny Leipziger & Quentin Wodon & Tito Yepes, 2003. "Achieving the Millennium Development Goals : The role of infrastructure," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3163, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  5. Omar Azfar & Tugrul Gurgur, 2008. "Does corruption affect health outcomes in the Philippines?," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 9(3), pages 197-244, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Bert Hofman & Susana Cordeira Guerra, 2004. "Ensuring Inter-regional Equity and Poverty Reduction," International Studies Program Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0411, International Studies Program, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University. [Downloadable!]
  7. Jack, William, 2000. "Decentralizing the provision of health services : an incomplete contracts approach," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2395, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  8. Wagstaff, Adam, 2002. "Inequalities in health in developing countries - swimming against the tide?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2795, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  9. Lindelow, Magnus, 2002. "Health care demand in rural Mozambique," FCND discussion papers 126, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). [Downloadable!]
  10. Anit N Mukherjee, 2007. "Public Expenditure on Education : A Review of Selected Issues and Evidence," Working Papers id:856, esocialsciences.com. [Downloadable!]
  11. Hammer, Jeffrey S. & Jack, William G., 2001. "The design of incentives for health care providers in developing countries : contracts, competition, and cost control," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2547, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  12. Simon Feeny & Mark Rogers, 2008. "Public sector efficiency, foreign aid and small island developing states," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(4), pages 526-546. [Downloadable!]
  13. Mukherjee, Anit N., 2007. "Public expenditure on education: A review of selected issues and evidence," Working Papers hd1, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. [Downloadable!]
  14. Andrew Sumner & Meera Tiwari, 2005. "Poverty and economic policy: what happens when researchers disagree?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(6), pages 791-801. [Downloadable!]
  15. Sawitree S. Asawanuchit & Hamid Reza Davoodi & Erwin Tiongson, 2003. "How Useful are Benefit Incidence Analyses of Public Education and Health Spending," IMF Working Papers 03/227, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  16. John Gafar, 2005. "Do the Poor Benefit from Public Spending? A Look at the Evidence," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 44(1), pages 81-104. [Downloadable!]
  17. Kumar, Sudesh & Singh, Janet, 2007. "An action plan to assess the current situation of maternal & newborn care at government health facilities in Jharkhand, India," MPRA Paper 6187, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 04 Sep 2007. [Downloadable!]
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? You can use IDEAS to provide links to papers and articles in your course syllabus.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-26.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.