On Reckoning Level Differentials in the Measurement of Progress: An Illustration in the Context of Deliveries Assisted by Skilled Health Personnel

The paper highlights that performance assessments should account for non-linear dynamics of progress, whereby an improvement at a higher level represents greater achievement than an equal improvement at a lower level. With this rationale, desirable properties of progress assessment indicators are reviewed and an alternative level-sensitive indicator is discussed. Further, an application in the context of proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel is presented, to draw attention towards the dismal performance of developing regions, particularly least developed countries (LDC) from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In concluding, we argue that post-2015 goal setting should resolve the definitional and operational inconsistencies associated with existing developmental targets and indicators.