COMPARATIVE MODELS OF GLOVAL HEALTH SYSTEMS

at
Categories
Tags

 

 

Develop a 4–5 page examination of your chosen healthcare issue within the context or your chosen country.

Introduction
Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.

The manner in which policymakers allocate and promote resources has a strong relationship to access to healthcare, positive health outcomes, and life expectancy.

The past century has been marked by the second industrial revolution, economic development, human development, and the green revolution. These developments have contributed to improved standards of living but often created new threats to low-income countries through environmental degradation. Improved nutrition and basic infrastructure have helped many societies to experience an epidemiological transition, a decrease in infectious diseases, and increased life expectancy.

Global health organizations are trying to address healthcare issues of all kinds throughout the world. Guiding principles are set by the World Health Organization (WHO), and goals for improving global health policy have been defined by its millennium development goals. Other major worldwide organizations such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and others will continue to shape and mold global health policy.

From an international perspective, money and wealth do not necessarily buy positive health outcomes. The manner in which policymakers allocate and promote resources bears a strong relationship to access to healthcare, positive health outcomes, and life expectancy. China and Kerala, India, are prime examples of growth-mediated and support-led models. Service delivery, healthcare funding, prevention, and life expectancy are impacted by resource allocation. Elements and best practices can be extrapolated from the growth-mediated models and support-led models to compare with specific low, middle, and high income countries.

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

Which type of healthcare system (entrepreneurial, mandated health insurance, or national health service) is most closely aligned to WHO principles?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each type of healthcare system?
How would you measure an organization’s success against other organizations that are trying to address the same issues? Consider qualitative and quantitative measures.
Note: The country and healthcare issue you choose for this assessment will form the basis of each of the three assessments in this course.

 

Preparation:
Complete the following:

Choose one of the global healthcare issues listed below. Consider choosing an issue that is of interest or relevance to your career.
Choose a country to study, which has identified one of the issues below as a central problem facing its population. Be sure that you have reasonable access to this country’s healthcare information.
Consult your textbook, the Capella University Library, and the Internet to analyze the ways your chosen country delivers healthcare to its population.
You may wish to review Health Care Administration Master’s Program (MHA) Library Guide.
View the World Health Care Types infographic activity in this assessment.
Reflect on your critical thinking.

Global Health Care Issues
Consider the following global healthcare issues:

Infant and children’s mortality.
Mental health.
Substance abuse.
Infectious diseases (cholera, AIDS, malaria, flu, et cetera).
Noninfectious diseases (cardiovascular, stroke, diabetes, et cetera).
Maternal and reproductive health.
Malnutrition.
Domestic violence.
Deliverable
Write a 4–5-page examination of your chosen healthcare issue within the context or your chosen country.

Determine if the country and healthcare type you chose is a progressive system, a regressive system, or a proportionate system.
Select one of the following areas to examine:

Affordability and funding.
Patient access and equity.
Education programs.
Prevention programs.
Service provisioning (delivery).
Healthcare work force.
Monitoring of the disease.
Complete the following in reference to your chosen areas:

Summarize the needs of healthcare consumers associated with the issue.
Identify the funding amounts and sources dedicated to this issue in the country.
Analyze governmental approaches to address the issue.
Discuss the gaps between the needs of consumers and services offered by the government.
Describe briefly other providers (private or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that support, augment, or substitute government efforts.
In answering the assessment, include an analysis of your critical thinking:

How do my life experiences influence my perspective?

 

Sample Solution

Introduction

 

South Africa, a country rich in cultural diversity and economic potential, faces a formidable public health challenge in the form of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Despite significant strides since the early 2000s, HIV/AIDS continues to be a major contributor to morbidity and mortality, placing immense strain on the nation’s healthcare system. The country’s history of apartheid has left a legacy of deep-seated socioeconomic inequalities that directly influence health outcomes, making the fight against infectious diseases a complex issue of both medical and social policy.

 

South Africa’s Healthcare System: A Progressive System?

 

South Africa’s healthcare system is a mix of public and private sectors, with a strong commitment to addressing inequalities, aligning it more with a progressive system in its stated goals, though its implementation faces challenges. A progressive system is one where the proportion of income paid in taxes or contributions for healthcare increases as income increases. South Africa’s system, through its taxation-funded public sector, aims to provide universal access to a basic level of care, though the quality and access in the public sector are often strained, leading those who can afford it to opt for the well-resourced private sector. This creates a dual system that, in practice, can be regressive for the poor, as they bear the burden of a less-effective public system.

I will examine patient access and equity concerning HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

 

Patient Access and Equity for HIV/AIDS

 

 

Consumer Needs

 

The needs of healthcare consumers with HIV/AIDS in South Africa are multifaceted. Beyond basic medical care, they require:

  1. Consistent access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and other essential medications.
  2. Affordable and accessible diagnostic services (e.g., viral load testing).
  3. Comprehensive counseling and mental health support to address the stigma and psychological burden of the disease.
  4. Integrated care that includes treatment for co-morbidities like tuberculosis and opportunistic infections.
  5. Community-based support for adherence to treatment and long-term management.

 

Funding Amounts and Sources

 

The funding for South Africa’s HIV/AIDS response is a blend of domestic and international sources. The government is the largest funder, allocating a significant portion of the national health budget to the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs. However, international donors, such as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, provide substantial financial and technical support, especially for ART procurement and service delivery.

 

Governmental Approaches

 

The South African government has adopted a proactive and comprehensive approach to addressing HIV/AIDS, particularly under the leadership of the National Department of Health. Key strategies include:

  • Massive ART Program: South Africa has the world’s largest ART program, providing free and universal access to life-saving medication.
  • Test-and-Treat Policy: The government has implemented a policy to start ART immediately upon diagnosis, regardless of a person’s CD4 count.
  • Prevention Programs: These include free condom distribution, voluntary medical male circumcision, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
  • Decentralization of Services: The government has aimed to decentralize care from hospitals to primary healthcare clinics to improve accessibility.

 

Gaps and Other Providers

 

Despite significant governmental efforts, there are notable gaps between consumer needs and the services offered.

  • Geographic and Infrastructural Gaps: While ART is free, rural and remote populations often struggle with access due to long travel distances to clinics, limited public transport, and intermittent drug stock-outs.
  • Stigma: Stigma remains a significant barrier, discouraging individuals from seeking testing or adhering to treatment, as they fear judgment from their communities and even healthcare workers.
  • Integration of Services: The integration of HIV care with other services, such as mental health and TB treatment, is often weak, leading to fragmented care.

Other Providers: Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and private providers play a crucial role in filling these gaps.

  • NGOs like the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation and Doctors Without Borders provide direct clinical services, conduct research, and run community-based outreach programs. They often reach populations that the public sector struggles to serve.
  • Private Providers: For those with private health insurance, the private sector offers a parallel system of care with shorter wait times and better resourced facilities, but this care is not accessible to the vast majority of the population.

 

Critical Thinking and Personal Perspective

This question has been answered.

Get Answer
WeCreativez WhatsApp Support
Our customer support team is here to answer your questions. Ask us anything!
👋 Hi, Welcome to Compliant Papers.
Hi, how can I help?