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A sizeable proportion of households is forced to share single long-lasting insecticide treated net (LLIN). However, the relationship between increasing numbers of people sharing a net and the risk for Plasmodium infection is unclear. This study revealed whether risk for Plasmodium falciparum infection is associated with the number of people sharing a LLIN in a holoendemic area of Kenya. Children ⩽5 years of age were tested for P. falciparum infection using polymerase chain reaction. Of 558 children surveyed, 293 (52.5%) tested positive for parasitaemia. Four hundred and fifty-eight (82.1%) reported sleeping under a LLIN. Of those, the number of people sharing a net with the sampled child ranged from 1 to 5 (median = 2). Children using a net alone or with one other person were at lower risk than non-users (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.10–0.82 and OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.22–0.97, respectively). On the other hand, there was no significant difference between non-users and children sharing a net with two (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.44–1.77) or more other persons (OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.32–1.72). LLINs are effective in protecting against Plasmodium infection in children when used alone or with one other person compared with not using them. Public health professionals should inform caretakers of the risks of too many people sharing a net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze sources of fiscal space for the health sector in Honduras, in the context of sectoral reform, with a commitment to achieving the target of public expenditure on health equivalent to 6% of gross domestic product (GDP). Methods. An analysis of baseline conditions and sources of fiscal space was conducted on the basis of a literature review and secondary data. The size of each source was estimated from official data, international statistics, and previous studies. In parallel to this study, political feasibility was analyzed and an online survey was administered to key actors. Results. Estimates of baseline conditions for economic growth show that other sources must be identified in order to generate new resources. The recent tax reform limits the political feasibility of creating new taxes, except for "sin taxes", that could be used exclusively to fund health. Social protection reform paves the way to explore measures that could make resources available by improving efficiency in the sector. One limitation on public expenditure based on social security contributions is the ceiling on taxable income, notwithstanding acceleration in the formalization of the labor market. Conclusions. Honduras can advance towards achieving the target of public expenditure on health equivalent to 6% of GDP with the support of plans for sectoral reform, but its options are limited by the recent tax reform. The reform of social protection in health should consider additional available resources so as not to jeopardize implementation of the reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To ascertain which factors affect out-of-pocket spending on health services provided by the Ministry of Health of Peru and regional governments to the population living in relative poverty between 2010 and 2014. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional, descriptive, nationwide, econometric, year-on-year (2010-2014) study using information from household surveys. The dependent variable was out-of-pocket spending by people in relative poverty to pay for medical care at public health services. The independent variables were affiliation to the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS) scheme, level of family expenditure per capita, age group 0-5 years, being a woman of childbearing age (15-49 years), being an older adult (over age 60 years), family burden (using the number of members of the household as a proxy indicator), and the level of complexity of the service provider. Results. Only 5% of the rural population in the study were treated at higher-complexity facilities (hospitals), compared to 16% of the population in urban centers. Drugs accounted for the majority of household expenditures: 44% among those insured via SIS and 62% among the uninsured (2014). Out-of-pocket spending on health was positively associated with not being insured via SIS, higher level of provider complexity, level of family spending per capita, and being an older adult. Conclusions. Comprehensive Health Insurance coverage is a relevant policy variable to reduce out-of-pocket spending in poor households. The lower out-of-pocket spending among the rural poor--an especially vulnerable group--was strongly associated with near-exclusive use of services delivered by primary health care providers. Specific policies are needed to protect older adults living in poverty. To achieve universal health coverage, Peru needs to implement more intensive financial protection policies and restructure its public service offering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To assess from a technical and political point of view the capacity of Bolivia to generate fiscal space for health that allows it to sustain progress and fulfill the commitment of a public health expenditure of 6% of gross domestic product. Methods. A review of the international evidence on fiscal space and its measurements was conducted. The technical analysis was developed through statistics and official reports from multiple national and international secondary sources. The political and social analysis was carried out through 20 interviews with representatives of organizations and institutions. Results. There is capacity to create fiscal space in health for Bolivia. There are three sources with the greatest technical and political feasibility: economic growth linked to the commitment to reprioritize public spending on health; improvements in the internal sources of revenue through the reduction of informal work; and reduction of tax expenditures. External financing and an increase of Social Security contributions are less feasible. Conclusions. Bolivia is able to achieve a public health spending of 6% of gross domestic product. The timing to achieve this goal depends on maintaining the prioritization of spending in the sector, with social and political consensus and within a framework of economic growth and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. In 2014, the Pan American Health Organization member countries signed the Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage. In it, they committed to increasing public health expenditure until reaching the benchmark of 6% of gross domestic product (GDP). The objective of this paper is to determine, for each country in the Region, if they can reach this goal by economic growth alone and, if so, how long it would take. Methods. Using World Bank and World Health Organization data, elasticity of public health expenditure with regard to GDP was estimated for each country. Real economic growth and International Monetary Fund projections for 2016-2021 were used to project the expenditure series and determine the year each country would reach 6% of GDP. Results. Six countries have already reached the 6% goal. The Latin American and Caribbean countries that have achieved it are those that have single health systems, based on universal access and coverage. If current prioritization of public health expenditure is maintained, three countries could reach the goal in the next decade. Four more countries would reach it before mid-century, ten in the second half of the century, and one would have to wait until the next century. Finally, 13 countries would never reach the proposed goal. Conclusions. This analysis demonstrates the limitations of economic growth as a source of fiscal space. Other sources will need to be tapped, such as increased tax collection, specific health taxes, and greater efficiency in public spending, which will require social and political dialogue in the countries regarding their commitment to universal health principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the evolution of regional proposals and agreements from the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) to the Universal Health Strategy, highlighting how the core tenets of the primary health care strategy have come to be reflected in proposals to strengthen the primary level of care and establish integrated health services networks. Contextual aspects of implementing the strategy within the framework of complex national scenarios are also noted, through a review of some of the milestones of the last 40 years. Factors that hinder implementation of primary health care are described, as well as the advances and the emerging challenges that health systems face in several countries. This article reaffirms the need for a strong primary care level--with coordination and response capacity, close to and involved in the community, and accessible--in order to advance towards realizing the right to health for everyone. It also advocates for practical proposals to relaunch the primary health care strategy 40 years after the Declaration of Alma-Ata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To characterize the process of health sector reform (HSR) in Peru (launched publicly in 2013), identifying the principal advances in its implementation and the pending challenges from the perspective of the participating actors. Methods. This study systematizes experiences through semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 key informants, including three ex-ministers of health, using the decade 2005-2015 as the time frame. Official databases were analyzed to verify variations in health indicators. Results. The proposed reform was based on expanding insurance coverage (predominantly public health insurance), following the structured pluralism model, with clear separation between the functions of delivery, financing, regulation, and governance. The main progress in HSR identified by this study involves: having transcended the poverty criterion for public insurance, strengthening investments in infrastructure and human resources, strengthening the National Health Authority with a focus on the rights of users, and reinforcing the public health role of the Ministry of Health. The main challenges involve providing non-poverty- related insurance coverage for the population, having sufficient specialized human resources, and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure. Conclusions. In the 10 years under analysis, HSR is a process that builds on the progress made in prior years; a process that consolidates an insurance model aimed at universal coverage based on public health insurance and that has led to a demonstrable increase in public spending and population coverage. However, progress has been limited mainly due to insufficient provision of specialized human resources and out-of-pocket expenditure, which remains very high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal health coverage can be understood as a goal encompassing a series of structural measures that allow health care systems to enhance access to health care. Primary health care (PHC) should be seen as an essential component of this process, in charge of re-organizing services according to the health needs of the population. A Brazilian physician recruitment program, Programa Mais Médicos (More Doctors), has introduced a set of measures that strengthen PHC. Based on a conceptual review of universal health coverage and on an analysis of the More Doctor Program from the perspective of the results obtained in terms of strengthening PHC in the public Unified Health System (SUS), the aim of the present article was to discuss the potential contribution of the More Physicians Program to the progress towards universal coverage in the SUS. It is concluded that the More Doctors Programs is a driver of universal coverage in the public health care system in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievements and challenges arising from the application of eHealth in the Cuban context to support universal health are presented. The Ministry of Public Health defi- ned the Computerization Strategy, whose lines of work are based on the components declared in the Strategy and Plan of Action on eHealth of the Pan American Health Organization, and in the Policy for the Computerization of the Society, approved by the Cuban Government. The paper describes the actions of the Cuban strategy elaborated to solve the limitations in the technological infrastructure, to develop the platforms, the tools and the applications required by the health services, and to stimulate the professionals' abilities to use them. The results of eHealth in Cuba are based on the application and evaluation of the strategy implemented in the framework of the improvement of the health sector through projects such as the electronic medical record called Galen Clínicas, the training of human resources and the resources for information and education from the Infomed Health Telematics Network. These models of solidarity and collaborative networking have contributed to universal health and positively impacted on the health system beyond the borders. The challenges of eHealth are the development of initiatives in mobile health --in which there is little experience--; telemedicine --a project that is stopped--; integration and interoperability among applications; the sustainability of the implemented solutions; insufficient technological infrastructure; and strengthening of the legal framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Identify the most relevant, applicable, and priority good practice principles in health technology assessment (HTA) in Latin America, and potential barriers to implementing them in the region. Methods. HTA good practice principles postulated worldwide were identified and then explored through a deliberative process in a forum of evaluators, funders, and technology producers. Results. Forty-two representatives from ten Latin American countries participated in the forum. The good practice principles postulated at the international level were considered valid and potentially applicable in Latin America. Five principles were identified as priorities and as having greater potential to be expanded at this time: transparency in carrying out HTA; involvement of stakeholders in the HTA process; existence of mechanisms to appeal decisions; existence of clear mechanisms for HTA priority-setting; and existence of a clear link between assessment and decision-making. The main challenge identified was to find a balance between application of these principles and available resources, to prevent the planned improvements from jeopardizing report production times and failing to meet decision-makers' needs. Conclusions. The main recommendation was to gradually advance in improving HTA and its link to decision-making by developing appropriate processes for each country, without attempting to impose, in the short term, standards taken from examples at the international level without adequate adaptation to the local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To assess the fiscal space for public health in Peru so as to attain the goal of raising health spending to 6% of gross domestic product, as agreed upon by member countries of the Pan American Health Organization in 2014. Methods. The main sources of fiscal space were identified by means of a thorough literature review. Technical feasibility was determined from statistics and national and international surveys and by reviewing various documents and official reports. Political feasibility was ascertained by studying policy guidelines. Results. The sources showing the greatest technical and political feasibility are economic growth, a broadening of the personal income tax base, and an increase in tobacco-specific taxes. Decreasing informality in the job market and increasing contributory coverage are considered to be less politically feasible, but there is ample technical space for these measures. Conclusions. There is enough fiscal space to allow for an increase in public health spending. Nevertheless, the 6% target will be reached only if the timeline is extended, tax revenues are increased, and informality in the job market is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The objective of this study was to identify the availability of health indicators for validly measuring advances in the attainment of "universal health" in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Methods. A systematic search was undertaken for scientific evidence and available technical and scientific documents on assessing health system performance and advances in universal health in the following phases: phase 1, mapping of indicators; phase 2, classification of indicators; and phase 3, mapping the availability of selected indicators in LAC. Results. Sixty-three (63) national sources of information and eight international sources were identified. A total of 749 indicators were selected from the different databases and studies evaluated, 619 of which were related to the attainment of universal health and 130 to the burden of disease. The following indicators were identified: financial protection, 42 (6%); coverage of service delivery, 415 (55.4%); population coverage, 6 (0.8%); health determinants, 101 (14%); assessment of inequalities in health, 55 (7.3%); and estimation of burden of disease, 130 (17.3%). Finally, the availability of 141 indicators was mapped for each LAC country. Conclusions. The results of this study will help establish a framework for measuring the achievements, obstacles, and rate of progress toward universal health in LAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Glimpse into Healthcare Policies: How Cancer Control and Prevention Programmes Have Evolved Across Asia. Understanding Healthcare Policies in the Philippines: Cancer Care. Healthcare Systems and Health Policies in Thailand: Cancer Care. Cancer Care and Control in Taiwan: An Interview with Dr. Shu-Ti Chiou. An Interview with Professor Myint Han: Healthcare in Myanmar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To provide an overview of comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) development and implementation in Suriname in peer-reviewed literature. Methods. Building on work funded by the Teasdale-Corti Global Health Research Partnership Program/People's Health Movement, the authors searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and POPLINE for articles focused on CPHC within the Surinamese context. Two authors independently reviewed abstracts and then jointly reviewed the selected abstracts. The final selection was completed using a data extraction form. Results. The initial search resulted in 1 556 abstracts. The initial review identified 58 articles. Only three of the 58 articles met the inclusion criteria for the final review. The three selected articles provided partial overviews of CPHC in Suriname and examples of its implementation, with a focus on the service delivery network in the interior of the country, which was designed to improve rural access to basic health care services by training community members as service providers. They also included examples of how preparations for health reform in Suriname in the late 1990s and early 2000s, influenced by global neoliberal reforms, led to expectations that disparities in health status, design of health system components, and service provision related to differences in power and historical context (e.g., the influence of medical professionals, political parties / ethnic groups, and wealthier populations concentrated in urban areas) would be addressed. Conclusions. Given the focus on primary health care in the Americas and the notable developments that have occurred in Surinamese health policy and health care, particularly in health care reform, the paucity of published research on CPHC in Suriname was an unexpected finding that may be partly due to prioritizing research on disease control rather than health policy and systems research. The limited amount of scientific literature on this topic 1) prevents clear understanding of CPHC development and implementation in Suriname and 2) underscores the need to strengthen the national health research system to better inform policies for moving the country toward universal health access and coverage to improve the health of all of its citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To determine whether health care access barriers and facilitators cut across different populations, countries, and pathologies, and if so, at which stages of health care access they occur most frequently. Methods. A qualitative systematic review of literature published between 2000 and 2010 was undertaken drawing on six international sources: Fuente Académica, MEDLINE (full-text), Academic Search Complete (a full-text multidisciplinary academic database), PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS. Scientific appraisal guidelines from the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Español (CASPe) and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) were applied. Gray literature was also reviewed. Results. From the review of scientific literature, 19 of 1 160 articles and 8 of 12 gray literature documents were selected. A total of 230 barriers and 35 facilitators were identified in countries with different contexts and degrees of development. The 230 barriers were classified according to the Tanahashi framework: 25 corresponded to availability, 67 to access, 87 to acceptability, and 51 to contact. Most of the barriers were related to acceptability and access. The facilitating elements that were identified had to do with personal factors, the provider-client relationship, social support, knowledge about diseases, and adaptation of the services to patients. Conclusions. The barriers and facilitators were seen mostly in people who initiated contact with the health systems, and they occurred at all stages of health care access. Only a few of the studies looked at people who did not initiate contact with the health services. The barriers and facilitators identified were socially determined and largely a reflection of existing social inequities in the countries. To reduce or eliminate them, joint action with other non-health sectors will be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This piece begins with a brief discussion of the concepts leading to the social right to health protection. Special emphasis is placed on the principle of social cohesion, which has influenced social health protection in European countries. Chile's experience in this field from the 1990s to the present is described, as exemplified in three dimensions. In the first place, social security coverage is presented as a means to achieve universal (horizontal) coverage. A discussion follows on vertical coverage, where the author identifies health problems for which insured persons have guaranteed rights of access to medical care. This section describes available emergency care, primary health care, and the special plan for Universal Access to Explicit Guarantees (Acceso Universal de Garantias Explícitas de salud, or AUGE). Thirdly, the discussion covers the funding sources supporting the Chilean health care system: Government subsidies, contributions to social security, and out-of-pocket disbursements for private care. Chile's public health system has various special programs. One of them is catastrophic insurance, which covers 100% of the care needed for complex and very costly treatments. Older persons (over 65) have coverage for 100% of the cost of eyeglasses and hearing aids, and for 50% of the cost of home care. If life expectancy is an appropriate indicator of health system results, it is worth noting that Chile and the United States of America have both achieved a life expectancy of 77 years, even though Chile spends only 5.9% of its gross domestic product on health care, as compared to the 15% spent by the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]