Institutionalisation Is a Vital Element for Fairness of Priority Setting in the Package Design if the Target is Universal Health Coverage; Comment on “Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes for Health Benefits Package Design – Part II: A Practical Guide”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors

1 Knowledge Utilization Research Center, University Research and Development Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Ministry of Health, Federal Government of Somalia, Mogadishu, Somalia

3 Interdisciplinary Research and Practice Division, School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex, Colchester, UK

Abstract

The evidence-informed deliberative processes (EDPs) guide provides a practical framework for fair priority setting of the health benefits package (HBP) that countries can reasonably use. The steps presented in the EDPs are applicable for prioritising health services in designing HBP and are consistent with practical experience in countries. However, institutionalisation must be considered an element of fairness in the priority-setting process if the aim is to reach broader goals of a health system, such as universal health coverage (UHC). Otherwise, the EDPs for priority setting might not be integrated into the formal health system or impactful, resulting in a waste of time and resources, which is unfair. Institutionalisation means formalising the desired change as an embedded and integrated system so that the change lasts over time. For the institutionalisation of EPDs, four stages are suggested, which are (1) establishing a supportive legal framework, (2) designating governance and institutional structure, (3) stipulating the EDPs processes and (4) individual and institutional capacity building.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 July 2022
  • Revise Date: 10 November 2022
  • Accept Date: 12 November 2022
  • First Publish Date: 16 November 2022

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