Health sector governance: Essential intervention

Michele Forzley, JD, MPH

mforzley@comcast.netHealth Sector Governance – An essential key to success in health sector performance

To achieve the goal of strong health systems it is essential to include interventions based in law and regulation in all health sector reform work.  The law is an overlooked determinant of health – yet it underlies many themes and topics in this Congress such as global governance, International Health Regulations, controlling the tobacco epidemic, a public health approach to pharmaceuticals and the role of the private sector among others.  This presentation will clarify how adequate laws and regulations are essential to the strengthening and support of health systems, essential public health functions and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and how participants can take immediate steps to strengthen their national laws.

This session will begin with a discussion as to why and how the law is a determinant of health outcomes and its relationship to the MDGs.  Then this session will review three case studies on the role of law and simple interventions that would have changed the outcomes. The case studies based on field experience include reducing corruption in the Albanian health sector and the Convention Against Corruption, the transition of MOH from a service provider to a regulator based several cases including Nigeria and the regulation of its health insurance industry and finally the evolution of professional orders as regulators with a focus on pharmacists, also based on several countries.

Finally, this session will cover how public health professionals can advance the laws and regulations, what resources, models and best practices are available.  And what other professional associations such as the American Bar are doing to help advance the rule of law and opportunities to tap into these other efforts and resources for help.