Working together to get back to basics--finding health system solutions

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Systems Strengthening
• Health Policy Analysis

Background:

• The Papua New Guinea (PNG) health sector has experienced substantial evolution over the last two decades.
• Key influencing factors include the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments, and increasing politicization.
• Shifts in development partner financing and the adoption of a sector-wide approach have also reshaped the health landscape.

Observation:

• Significant reforms have been implemented at bureaucratic and regulatory levels to address systemic challenges.
• The balance of power in health system financing has shifted between the government and its development partners.
• A sector-wide approach has been developed within the PNG health sector.

Findings:

• The paper identifies critical health sector policy issues and extracts lessons learned from the past 20 years.
• Analysis reveals challenges stemming from governance structures, political interference, and financial dynamics.
• The study highlights the need for strategic reform efforts to navigate these complexities.

Implications:

• Understanding these historical changes and lessons learned is vital for future health policy development in PNG.
• Effective mobilization of all health sector partners is essential for successful implementation of reforms.
• A 'back to basics' approach, focusing on core strategies, is recommended to enhance the health system's ability to deliver improved health outcomes.