Recorded presentation

Caroline Quijada, MHS, c/o PHRplus, University Research Co, LLC, 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-718-3106, caroline_quijada@abtassoc.com, Tania Dmytraczenko, PhD, Abt Associates Inc, Suite 600, 4800 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814, and Kimberly Smith, MPA, Abt Associates Inc., 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Countries are increasingly implementing health system strengthening measures, or health reforms, designed to strengthen their health systems so that it can better achieve public health goals. Prominent among these measures are financing and organizational changes that aim to mobilize additional funds for health care as well as improve efficiency in resource use. Examples include integration of services, community-based health financing, and social health insurance. However, some of the changes have raised concerns that vertical programs, such as family planning and reproductive health, may suffer as a consequence. Last year, PHRplus, in collaboration with the Population Reference Bureau, developed a policy brief on the effects of Health Sector Reform on Reproductive Health. The policy brief provided a very good overview of the issues but lacked concrete examples of how reproductive health was affected by Health Sector Reforms due to unavailability of readily accessible data. As such, PHRplus has developed case studies and will present country examples of the impact (either positive or negative) of health systems strengthening interventions on utilization of all or a subset of reproductive health services. Presentation of the case studies will be supported by data collected through household surveys, DHS, and other special data collection efforts. The presentation will also provide evidence that supports the active participation of reproductive health advocates in a changing systems environment. Country examples include: integration of services in Albania and Egypt, community based health financing in Rwanda, Senegal and Mali and government sponsored social insurance in Bolivia, Columbia and Nicaragua.

Learning Objectives: Following presentation, participants will

• be knowledgeable on health systems strengthening components
• list examples that show contributions to RH programs
• be familiar with challenges RH and other USAID priority services face in a systems environment

Keywords: Health Care Reform, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation